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diff --git a/76622-0.txt b/76622-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..972d228 --- /dev/null +++ b/76622-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6833 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76622 *** + + + + + +THE STORY HUNTER + + + + +[Illustration: “Into the mouthpiece of the machine I spoke, asking, ‘Do +you hear me?’”--_p. 21._] + + + + + THE STORY HUNTER + OR + TALES OF THE WEIRD AND WILD + + BY + ERNEST R. SUFFLING + + _Author of “Afloat in a Gipsy Van,” “Jethou, or Crusoe Life in the + Channel Islands,” “Life on the Broads,” etc._ + + _ILLUSTRATED BY PAUL HARDY_ + + [Illustration] + + LONDON + JARROLD & SONS, 10 AND 11, WARWICK LANE, E.C. + [_All Rights Reserved_] + 1896 + + + + +PREFACE. + + +A year or two since, when I wrote _Jethou; or Crusoe Life in the +Channel Isles_, I received a large number of press reviews and +criticisms, all but two of which were of a very satisfactory and +encouraging tone, and spoke so flatteringly of my future career as a +writer of fiction, as to cause a blush--perhaps of modesty--perhaps +of hope--to suffuse my lily cheek. One of the adverse critics, who +must have been troubled with liver complaint in some form, took a +pessimistic view of my work, doubting the facts contained in the book, +and--in a literary sense--running amuck with the fictional portions. +But, as he unwittingly helped the sale of the first edition of +_Jethou_, I thank the wielder of this biting pen. + +The other detractor found no particular fault with the book, but +thought the writer somewhat _lacking in high invention_, _i.e._, in +imaginative power. + +Of course few persons see their own faults, and I had never even +dreamed that I had any lack of inventive power. But now that my +deficiency has been suggested to me by the critic of London’s +leading daily newspaper, I venture to place the present volume before +the public as an effort towards the vindication of my imaginative +power, and with the earnest hope that something may be found in it +of sufficient interest to repay the reader for the time spent in its +perusal. + + E. R. SUFFLING. + + _Blomfield Lodge, + Portsdown Road, + London, W._ + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE + + INTRODUCTION--A HYPNOTIST ON WHEELS 9 + + I. THE STRANGE DISCOVERY OF DOCTOR NOSIDY 15 + + II. TWO RUINED TOWERS 36 + + III. A STRANGE RESURRECTION 64 + + IV. A VISITOR FROM MARS 87 + + V. BARBE ROUGE 105 + + VI. ROBIN HOOD IN WINTER 124 + + VII. ECCLES OLD TOWER 144 + + VIII. THE MONK’S PENANCE 161 + + IX. DOCTOR ANGUS SINCLAIR 184 + + X. THE PHANTOM RIDERS 211 + + + + +THE STORY HUNTER. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +A HYPNOTIST ON WHEELS. + + +Most men have a hobby of some kind, and I am certainly no exception to +the general rule. Some love boating; some painting; others carving, +angling, walking, shooting, or one of a hundred other diversions. The +hobbies of noted men would fill a goodly volume--thus Tosti is fond of +upholstering; Gladstone of tree-felling; the Sultan of Turkey is an +amateur carpenter; the Shah of Persia photographs everything he can +aim his lens at; the late Lord R. Churchill collected the teeth of +criminals; H.R.H. the Princess of Wales has a passion for specimens of +lace; and so on. + +Now I love none of these pursuits, but will confess at once that my +delight is _a good story_; something out of the usual rut of everyday +fiction; something fresh, stimulating, racy; and to gratify my hobby I +have been for many years a most voluminous reader. + +No scientific works for me, thank you; no dreary, three-volume, society +novels; give me good, sterling works of _fiction_--neither namby-pamby +on the one hand, nor revoltingly realistic on the other--but sound, +entertaining, well-worked-out fiction. + +Generally speaking, my experience of writers is disappointing. One soon +finds out their style of working, and after reading a short way into +a story, the _dénouement_ can frequently be correctly conjectured. +Some authors are aware of this, and purposely lead their readers upon +a wrong scent quite up to the penultimate chapter, and then suddenly +surprise them by reversing their preconceived idea of the final +disposition of the characters represented. This is extremely puzzling +to that section of lady readers who “just glance at the last chapter” +before wading through the volume, and must be extremely tantalizing to +them as well. + +Now it so happens that I have little else to do in life but to obey my +own sweet will; no wife have I, and but few relations, and as to them, +I steadfastly believe there is a great deal of truth in the aphorism, +“relatives are best apart.” So strongly am I convinced of this, that I +foster a fondness for peregrinating, solitarily, over the length and +breadth of England, and even for making occasional incursions into +Scotland or Wales. + +My income is small but ample--a cosy £500 a year--upon which I can +manage in comfort, especially as I have adopted a novel system of +living; novel, not because it has not been carried out to a certain +extent before, but because I have made a permanent institution of it; +I am a dweller in a caravan, not merely during the pleasant summer +months, but _à la_ gipsy, all the year round; and, what is more, I +thoroughly enjoy my solitary life on wheels. I have no rates or taxes +to pay, and if I have troublesome neighbours I move; in fact I am a +progressive man, I am _always_ on the move. + +My horse and I get on admirably together: in the summer he sleeps in +meadow or lane, on heath or common, while I sling my hammock in my +roomy van; but in the winter I stable my steed at an inn, and, as for +myself, laugh as I hear the snow-laden wind rasping vainly at the +woodwork and windows of my domicile. I am snug and secure from any +weather that may assail me; and with my pipe, my dog, and my books, am +as comfortable and free as the Queen in her Castle at Windsor. + +But all this is not my very particular _hobby_; it is simply my mode of +living, and a free, healthy, Bohemian life it is. + +As I have before remarked, I have a fondness for a good story; and +I have a peculiar way of securing that article. I do not go to a +book-shelf, get down a volume, and read a cut-and-dried version of +some adventure or incident--frequently spoiled by the opinions of +the writer, thrust willy-nilly upon the unfortunate reader--but I go +straight to the fountain-head--to the hero or chief participator in the +scenes and adventures described--and so get my story first-hand, _vivâ +voce_, from the lips of the living narrator. + +In disclosing how I succeed in this I must first make a confession; +then my _modus operandi_ will be at once plain. + +I am a hypnotist. + +Not a professional, séance-giving operator. I simply took the subject +up as one would any other scientific pursuit, such as geology, botany, +or electricity, and in a couple of years became remarkably expert in +the fascinating diversion. I say _diversion_ purposely, as it _is_ my +diversion, wherever I wander during my nomadic life. + +When a lad I read, and was enchanted with the wonderful stories of _The +Thousand and One Tales, or Arabian Nights’ Entertainments_, and now +that I have arrived at years of sober discretion, I look upon it as my +undoubted right to have a story told to me by every person I may induce +to share the hospitality of my caravan. + +The Sultan Schahriyar was told a thousand and one tales by his +beautiful young bride Shahrazad, but as I have no beautiful young +consort to spin me nightly yarns--which, coming from one brain, must +necessarily have had a sameness--I have recourse to persons I meet in +my peregrinations, who, after an enjoyable meal and a pipe, allow me, +as a favour, to hypnotize them. The trance state having been induced +in a very brief time, I then exert my will-force, and request my +subject to tell me a story of anything remarkable that has happened in +his experience, or with which he was connected. By this means I have +listened to nearly as many recitals as Schahriyar himself; some good, +some commonplace, some not worth listening to; while a few of them +struck me as being very remarkable and quite out of the ordinary run of +book stories. It is a selection from these which I have collected in +this volume. + +I must point out that in giving publicity to these stories I do not +betray any trust; as, apart from having the sanction of my guests, or, +as some would term them, victims--I have so altered names, places, and +dates as to make the individuality of the narrators quite secure from +discovery and consequent annoyance. + +It may be asked, “Why do you go to the trouble of hypnotizing your +guests, when they would probably tell you a story without being placed +under mesmeric control?” + +Now I am quite aware that “The Ancient Mariner” “stopped one of +three,” because the said one was _unwilling_, and therefore had to be +fixed with his “glittering eye,” but _my_ guests are _willing_ ones. +They would probably, out of courtesy to me, as host, tell me a story +in a sociable manner enough, but then, would they tell me the whole +truth? Would they not be liable to gloss over certain incidents, to +suppress others, and to add (for the sake of embellishment) many little +touches, which, however interesting and probable, might not be strictly +veracious? + +Probably they would; and loving as I do to hear a _true_ story, I +always prefer to hypnotize my guest, who then gives me the facts just +as they come uppermost in his mind, and his narration is free from +flourishes or any great amount of extraneous or interpolated matter. + +I do not know that I have anything else of a personal nature to place +before the reader, but will commence the first story after I have +premised it by a few words upon the narrator. + +Dr. Nosidy is what many persons would term “a genius deranged.” +It must, however, be remembered, that frequently only a very thin +partition divides the genius from the madman, and one can recall the +names of many great geniuses, who in their day were looked upon rather +as lunatics than as shining lights of the world. The Doctor, by his +personal appearance and conversation, did not in the least impress me +with the idea that he was suffering from any mental aberration, but I +must admit his remarkable story gave me grounds for surmising, that he +was either a man far in advance of the times, or else one who would, +at no distant period, be likely to end his career under lock and key. + +He was a small man with a bald head, round the circumference of which +grew a fringe of curly grey hair. His eyes were dark and sparkling, his +nose large and aquiline, and his mouth broad and thin, indicative of +volubility and power, with perhaps some acerbity of temper. + +When I explained to him my hypnotic powers he fell in with my humour at +once, and in a few minutes, being placed in the trance state, commenced +the following curious recital, which I will call “The Strange Discovery +of Doctor Nosidy.” + + + + +I. + +THE STRANGE DISCOVERY OF DOCTOR NOSIDY. + + +It is said proverbially, and I am quite aware of the fact, that a +little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and that sharp tools should not +be entrusted to the hands of unskilled persons; and it is because some +may depreciate my knowledge, and class me among those to whom sharp +tools are a danger, both to themselves and the community at large, that +I have not placed my discovery before the scientific world. + +I have no particular ambition to pose as a great genius or inventor; +the things which I have discovered are so simple, that anybody else, +following the same line of thought, would probably have stumbled upon +the same truths. That my discoveries, placed in the hands of profane or +frivolous persons, would be fraught with many and great evils I do not +deny, and it is for this consideration that I refrain from giving my +_exact_ modus operandi in this narrative. + +As will be seen from a perusal of this short recital, but little +further thought and elaboration are required to place my experiments +among the most astounding of this most marvellous age of discovery and +invention. + +It is a trite expression we make use of when we say that “Electricity +is in its infancy.” Of course it is; it is but in its swaddling +clothes: but, by and by, it will grow such a powerful fellow as to +claim by right the kingship of the whole mechanical and motive world. + +Now to my mind the two greatest forces in the universe are brain power +(or intellect) and electricity; and the time is rapidly approaching +when these two subtle energies shall govern or control nearly +everything under the sun. My friends infer that if I had a little +more brain force I should not take such absurd views of these two +great _Souls of Man and Motion_, as I am pleased to term intellect and +electricity. That I am not so distraught as my friends are pleased to +suppose, may be gathered from the outcome of those experiments which I +am now about to explain, so far at least as that can be done without +actually divulging the particular secrets which, for the present, I +wish to withhold, even from the great _savants_ of this scientific +epoch. I am afraid, however, that some reader of these lines will, if +he be of a keen, searching, inventive temperament, come in a short time +very near the borders of that discovery which it has taken me a dozen +years to experiment upon, and place in its present unfinished form. + +Even when I was a lad I was a great reader and literary delver after +things which were in any way obscure, unfinished, or apparently +unfathomable; and among the many theories I formed upon subjects of +which the world had written much, and talked more, without advancing +any nearer to their solution, was an idea regarding the soul of man! + +I may say in a few words, without giving the precise chain of thought +I employed, that my idea of man’s soul was--that it was nothing more +nor less than his _brain_; for is not that the very spirit, essence, +conscience, reason, and vital principle of man? + +Certainly: for in what degree can even a man’s heart compare with +his brain in the supremacy it asserts over his corporeal body? It +is true that the heart is essential to him, and has a great work to +perform, and can do it without help from his brain, even while the body +and brain sleep; but, after all, it is a mere beautiful machine--a +mechanical, monotonous slave, with nothing more to recommend it to +notice than its faithfulness to its hidden duty. + +Now let me affirm at once that the brain _is_ the soul, and when you +acquiesce in this, you will see more clearly how it is worked out +as a substantial truth in my wonderful experiments, or rather, as +their wonderful _result_; experiments, which after all were but my +intellectual knowledge reduced to a reasonable system. + +Very well. I commenced my experiments with this theory properly worked +out in my own mind, but not substantiated with positive proof, _that +the soul and the brain were synonymous_. + +Now the soul never dies--consequently the brain never dies! It decays, +and resolves itself into its constituent atoms, but it leaves behind it +what I will term _brain-ether_, which is absolutely indestructible and +immortal, and consequently lasts through all time. + +Then came the thought--“If the brain-ether exists, where shall I find +it?” I wanted to know this one thing; then I could work out the ideas +I had in my mind, following them up with experiments to prove the +correctness of my premises. + +Just think for a few moments of the vast encyclopædia of knowledge +stored in a human brain of ordinary calibre; think of the scenes, the +faces, the technical knowledge, the music, the skill, and the secrets +that human brain contains, and which, when the body decays, are turned +into ethereal memories--memories _not lost_, but stored up in the +brain-ether for ever. + +Now it occurred to me, that if I could only ascertain what became of +this brain-ether as the body decayed, that I might secure some of it, +and with the help of modern scientific apparatus, so far capture its +treasury of knowledge as to make that latent knowledge of incalculable +service to mankind. + +For many weeks I thought of places likely to be the earthly +resting-place of what I considered to be the fugitive brain-ether, and, +like every other mortal who has essayed the same intellectual feat, I +failed because I had the words, “The soul has fled,” ever present in my +mind. + +Naturally, when a human being dies, if one says, “His soul has fled,” +the person spoken to directly assumes that the soul has left the body, +and gone no one knows whither. But, being scientifically artful, I took +an opposite and antagonistic view of the usually accepted answer, and +said to myself: + +“Now suppose the soul has not fled, but is still present in the cranium +in the form of brain-ether.” + +This startling hypothesis I took and worked upon. Forsaking the common +theory, I resolved to see if I could not by some means discover the +brain-ether, which I was morally certain existed _somewhere_, and which +I quite believed was as likely, or more likely, to be found in its +ordinary resting-place--the cranium--as elsewhere. + +A recently deceased body or head was of no service to me to +experimentalize upon, as the spirit or essential ether would not have +become free till the disintegration of the pulpy matter of the brain +was complete. What I wanted was a skeleton, or even a skull, which had +neither been opened nor tampered with; and having no medical friends I +was at a loss to know how I could supply my want, when a lucky accident +gave me just what I required. + +One day I was walking through Gower Street, London, when whom should I +run against but my old friend Stairs. Stairs is an Egyptologist, great +at reading hieroglyphics and cuneiform writing. Not having seen each +other for two years, we naturally strolled into the Horseshoe Hotel to +finish our chat in comfort, and to lubricate our throats, which have a +wonderful knack of becoming dry when their owners meet old friends. + +Stairs had been away for fifteen months in Egypt searching for any +curious things having a commercial value in England. During his +wanderings in the country of the Pharaohs, he had purchased a large +number of curios, stones, amulets, rings, sarcophagi, and mummies, +which he was now endeavouring to dispose of to the trustees of the +British Museum. + +After I had heard many of his adventures, it became his turn to inquire +how I was employing myself, and this finally led to my explaining to +Stairs all about my theory of the soul. Of course, being ignorant of +the matter, he simply laughed, and suggested that I had better have one +of his mummies to experiment upon! + +Why not? + +Just the very thing; what could be better than an ancient, unrolled +mummy, some three thousand years old? + +I was positively delighted; and in furtherance of my fancy he handed +me his card, on the understanding that I was to proceed to his house, +and make a selection of any mummy I thought would suit my purpose, take +it home with me for a month to experiment upon, and at the end of that +time return it to him. + +That very evening I went to my friend’s house in Gordon Square with a +small covered van, and brought my precious Egyptian away, thankful to +old Stairs for his kindly consideration. Stairs was off to Italy for a +month, and I had his permission to do what I liked with the mummy, so +long as I did not spoil its commercial value. + +When the defunct Egyptian was safely deposited in my study I could have +hugged him for very joy, but refrained from the embrace as he smelt a +trifle musty. + +I, Doctor Nosidy, scientist, mesmerist, thought-reader, and +electrician, felt that evening that I stood upon the threshold of +some grand discovery. The thought thrilled me as it did Columbus when +he came in sight of the long-sought land, or Bernard Palissy when +he discovered the true mode of firing his beautiful pottery-ware, +or Galileo when he discovered the movement of the earth. I felt the +sensations of these and other discoverers rolled into one; moreover, +it was my conviction that I was about to find something by the side of +which their discoveries would appear insignificant indeed. + +Setting my apparatus in order, I commenced work by unrolling the head +of the mummy; carefully stripping off the multitudinous layers of +cerecloth, which were permeated quite through with a dark, brittle +gum or resin of some kind. By and by I came to the leathery and +gum-covered visage, wrinkled, emaciated, and black with the dry +atmosphere of thirty centuries. + +Dark curly hair still adhered to the skull, and was not so brittle but +that, after bathing the compressed locks, I could lift them with the +blade of a spatula quite away from the cranium without damage. The +whole head was a very fine one--the nose prominent and hawk-like, the +eyes cavernous, and the mouth excessively broad and grinning; the lips +were so dried and compressed that they were flat with the face. The +teeth were still white and glossy, and the entire absence of any signs +of decay proclaimed the fact that the owner was young at his decease. + +All these features I noticed as I worked away upon my subject, and +having at length uncovered the whole head, I made a small hole through +the apex of the cranium with a brad-awl. This done, I inserted, into +the space once occupied by the brain, the ends of the wires connected +with a certain electric instrument. Into the mouthpiece of the machine +I spoke, asking, + +“Do you hear me?” + +I listened, but of course no reply came. + +How could it? + +I had been much too eager to commence my work, and of a certainty, this +my first attempt could but end in one way--in absolute failure, and +that from three causes. + +1st. The brain of a deceased Egyptian was removed through the nostrils +when the embalming took place. + +2nd. Even if the brain-ether still tenanted the cranium the lips could +form no answer to my query, as they were so dry and parched as to have +no power of movement. + +3rd. If the conditions of brain and lips were favourable, and I really +obtained a sound, it would certainly be in the dead Egyptian tongue, +which to me would be quite unintelligible. What should I do? + +My defunct monarch, or whoever he might be, was suddenly transformed +into a useless incumbrance, instead of a scientific help. + +Instead of hugging him for joy I could now have beaten him as a +scientific fraud. + +There was nothing for it but to take a day or two and think the matter +out in an intelligent and calm manner. + +I did think it out; and on the third day had so far perfected my +primal theory, that I resolved to give the mummy one more chance of +communicating with a nineteenth-century scientist. + +Starting with the assumption that the subject would have been dead +from a few hours to a couple of days before the embalmers would +commence their process, and that the brain being lifeless and cold, the +spirit-ether might have escaped into its bony case and have remained in +the skull after the actual brain-matter was abstracted by the cunning +embalmer and his assistants,--I argued that it would be possible for +me to communicate with this spirit-ether, which would still retain in +an ethereal form the vast store of knowledge which the deceased had +accumulated when on earth. In that spirit-ether would be indelibly +written, as it were, a record of the whole life of the deceased, with +all his cares and pleasures, knowledge of contemporary events, and the +haunting memory of his sins. + +Assuming, I say, that this record was present in an invisible, subtle +form, how, even if I could communicate with the brain-ether, would it +be possible to obtain a reply? + +As I have said, I am a thought-reader, and my hope was that, if my +query were understood by the soul (or brain-ether) of the mummy, I +could, by the exercise of my peculiar function of reading thought, +obtain a reply. + +All seemed correct in theory, and to put it to the test, I, that very +evening, opened communication with my ebony subject. One wire was +inserted through the cranium and the other, instead of being attached +to a sound receiver, I coiled several times around my own head! + +Again I put the question “Do you hear me?” + +Nothing at first transpired; but, on repeating the question several +times, my brain became aware of the power of thought working in the +dead skull, and this thought-voice gradually became coherent, until +I could actually detect the vibration of certain words being formed, +which were, however, not sufficiently distinct for me to understand. + +My brain was quickly tired with the intense strain of sustained +thought, and, lying down on the couch, I fell fast asleep, to dream of +the land of the Pharaohs. + +In my dream I seemed to hear people speaking to each other, and to see +them going about their usual avocations. I appeared in my dream to be +inside the shop of an Eastern hairdresser, where an Egyptian fop was +having his hair curled and dressed for some evening function, possibly +a ball or supper. The hairdresser and his young patron appeared to be +cracking jokes in their native tongue, of which I could not understand +a word, but still I laughed at their jokes as heartily as if I fathomed +every quip they uttered. At length I laughed so loudly in my sleep at +one of the barber’s witticisms, that I awoke to find tears of merriment +streaming from my eyes. + +My dream had solved part of the problem! + +Of course the thought-words I had read, by means of the wire round +my head, were in the _Egyptian_ tongue, hence the reason for my not +understanding them. + +Here was a dilemma! + +However, I did not give up my mummy; for, although I could neither ask +intelligible questions nor receive answers that I could understand, I +obtained Egyptian _thoughts_ whenever I had a mind. + +I kept the royal corpse for the allotted month, and then returned it in +its deal case, with a letter of thanks to my friend in Gordon Square. + +A dead subject was all very well, but a _dead language_ was beyond me. + +So far my success was very encouraging. I had learnt, among other +things, that the soul, or brain-ether, still tenants the skull after +the substance of the brain is entirely dissipated--provided it has not +been removed from the cavity before decay set in. + +With strong hopes of better success, I now resolved to obtain an +English skull and try my skill upon it. + +During my peregrinations in the South of England the following week, I +found myself in the neighbourhood of X---- Cathedral, and strolling, +almost unthinkingly, into its grand interior, admired its decorations +and memorials. It was late in the day, and as in the gathering gloaming +I wandered round the solemn building, I found myself gazing upon some +curious painted coffins containing the remains of certain of our Saxon +kings. Gazing upon them I became fascinated, for they suggested +another step towards the realization of my grand scheme. + +As I stood before these sepulchres of the long dead, I am sorry to +say the longing came into my mind to possess a skull from one of the +decorated coffins; and presently the longing became so intense, that, +like some villainous body-snatcher, I hid myself behind a stack of +chairs in the nave, remaining there seated comfortably on a hassock +till the great bell tolled forth the noon of night, when, coming forth +from my hiding-place, I effected my ghoulish purpose, and secreted +under my cape the cranium of a Saxon monarch. + +The weary hours of the night lagged in their monotonous round, for I +dared not sleep, fearing I might not awaken before the opening of the +south door for the eight o’clock service; but my vigil was ended at +last by the arrival of a gaping old man, who came to ring the bell +calling early worshippers to the holy fane. The entry of several +persons to the building gave me an opportunity of walking quickly out +without attracting attention, but I can scarcely describe my feelings +of shame, nor is there perhaps any need of doing so. Necessity, +the noble mother of invention, had made a very criminal of me; but +whatever loathing I had for myself was condoned by the fact, that what +I was doing was for the sake of mankind at large; and although I had +purloined the principal part of a royal personage, I could not look +upon it as a theft, but merely as a loan from one who had no further +use for his ancient head. + +A few hours brought me again to the mighty metropolis, and I quickly +set to work with my elaborate apparatus, but, alas! only to be the +victim of another disappointment. + +Although I could obtain certain mental sounds (if I may so term them), +and could, by the aid of my thought-reading power, understand that +words were being thought by the brain-ether in the monarch’s cranium, +yet, unfortunately, to fathom their meaning was beyond me. + +Pure Saxon was a language with which I was totally unacquainted! + +Here was another stupid mistake of mine, of precisely the same nature +as the one I made in my first experiment. + +What could I do? + +Very little. + +I copied down, phonetically, a number of the words which the monarch +was _thinking_, and showed them to a professor of Anglo-Saxon, but +all he could do was to translate some of them into modern English, so +giving a series of words without any sequence or connection whatever. + +Angry with myself, and angry with the skull simply for being Saxon, +and therefore not understandable, I took it in my hand, and, in my +disappointment and rage, should doubtless have shattered it into +fragments against the wall, but for the sudden ringing of my door bell, +warning me of the arrival of a gentleman with whom I had an appointment. + +When the interview was over my anger had ceased also, and that +afternoon, with the skull in a bag, I took train for X----, and +repaired to my stack of chairs in the cathedral. I hid myself again, +like a felon, till the doors were closed, then restoring the skull +uninjured to its resting-place, crept back to my hassock seat, and +awaited the dawning. + +I fell asleep, and I suppose snored, for, to my astonishment, I +was awakened next morning by the verger, who, not believing my +cock-and-bull story of having been shut in the cathedral while absorbed +in the contemplation of the ancient structure and its interesting +relics, haled me before a magistrate. + +It was with difficulty I proved my identity, and doing so cost me all +the loose cash I had about me in telegraphing to my friends, before the +worthy magistrate would release me, although I had been twice searched +to see if anything of value was secreted about my person. + +Oh, science! what miseries thou hast for ages brought upon thy noblest +sons! What sorrows; what disappointments; what troubles and trials, and +alas, what terms of vile durance! I, being one of thy sons, have shared +all these evils, though perhaps in a minor degree! + +My failures, however, were not unmitigated: I had established the +fact that brain-ether and brain-thought were present in skulls, +whatever their nationality, and to whatever period they might belong; +my failures were attributable principally to my lack of linguistic +knowledge, a lack that might easily be remedied. + +My business now became to seek a skull of a more modern period. I +applied at a number of likely places, and at last was successful +in obtaining a fine, large specimen, which had a clean and refined +appearance. I paid but a small sum for it, and carried it home to my +study in triumph. Surely at last I was on the road to the development +of my pet project. + +After dinner, all being quiet, I commenced experiments upon the skull, +and having placed my apparatus in order, I asked my usual question: + +“Who are you?” + +“Sidney Smith,” came the reply. + +Good gracious, I thought, can this be the great wit? + +“You do not mean to say,” I asked, “that you are the great Sidney +Smith?” + +“I reckon you have just hit the right nail on the head,” was the +immediate thought-reply. + +What a piece of luck. + +“Well, Mr. Smith, such men as you the world sees but too rarely; your +name is still a household word among us, being constantly quoted as +that of the brightest star of wit of your day.” + +“Whip you mean?” came from the skull. + +“No; I said _wit_; a jocular person, you know.” + +“I ain’t no wit nor jocular person,” was the response, “not as I knows +what ‘jocular’ is exactly, but if it is anything to do with a jockey +it’s nothing to do with me, for I stood six feet four, and weighed +seventeen stone. If you calls me a ‘whip’ instead of a ‘wit,’ there you +are right, for I drove the York and Manchester coach for over twenty +years.” + +I found my subject very garrulous, very thick-headed, and very +quarrelsome--a man of high stature but low breeding; one who knew +nothing of any subjects but those of a horsey nature. One day our +conversation became so warm, and such a string of bad language flooded +the fellow’s brain-ether, that I had to disconnect my battery. I left +the cranium for some days, thinking that the man’s temper would have +cooled down, for I supposed that when I disconnected the electric +wires the current of thought ceased; but when I applied the wires to +my head, I found that the old store of abuse was still at work in the +brain-ether of my giant subject, and the end of the matter was, that I +smashed the beautiful skull into a thousand fragments against my study +wall, thus dissipating the soul or brain-ether into space. + +I did not regret the occurrence, for the fellow was most vituperative +and impertinent whenever I wished to know anything of his family +secrets or earthly career. + +Still, when I think of it, I have a deal for which to thank that +giant skull. It was during the fortnight that I possessed it that +I, to a great extent, perfected my apparatus for Soul-Reading, +Brain-Ether-Reviewing, Etherealized-Human-Record-Deciphering, or +whatever men may term my discovery, for I have not yet invented a title +for it myself. + +I therefore thank that broken vase of humanity, though being broken, I +cannot convey my thanks as I would wish, for there is no brain-ether +left to convey it to. + +Alas, poor giant! + +Hundreds of skulls have come under my apparatus for examination during +the past decade, and I possess facts that would make many great English +families quake; facts asserted by ancestors’ souls--_and souls cannot +lie_--of how titles and estates have been wrongfully obtained, and +rightful heirs darkly put aside to favour other candidates. + +I know of facts, suppressed in history, which, were I to reveal their +dark catalogue of murders, conspiracies and political intrigues, would +put a fresh interpretation upon the records of our country. But of what +avail would the disclosure be to our present generation? The heart +of man in the nineteenth century is, what it has been in all ages, +“desperately wicked.” + +On the other hand, it has been my good fortune to converse with kings +and ambassadors, with men of learning, poets, statesmen, with artists +and men of science, even with the great Isaac Newton himself, and am +now in the position of being the best-informed man, upon past history +and events, of any person in the world. Men say there is but a thin +partition between a savant and a madman. I know better; I may be the +former, but between me and madness a vast gap yawns, although my +friends will have their little jibe at me. Great men ever had their +traducers, and I, naturally, am no exception. + +Of all those with whom I have chatted--and by my experiments I can +converse with the spirit or soul of _any_ person, provided I have the +skull to which I can attach my apparatus--there has not been one equal +in intellectual capacity to Sir Isaac Newton, a most steady, solid man +of scientific sense. + +Now Newton’s idea of the brain and my own precisely coincide, and if I +give _my_ notion upon the subject I give his also. Here it is. + +The brain is an elaborate storehouse of knowledge of every kind. It +contains a record of _all_ one has learned during one’s lifetime; I say +_all_, because if a person has learned a thing and forgotten it, it +must not be supposed that that thing has vanished from the brain; not +so; it is faithfully recorded in the brain substance, though the mental +faculties may not be strong enough to _reproduce_ the particular thing +or theme when wanted. + +Not only is everything once learnt retained by the brain, but it also +contains a record of every _action_ of one’s life. All these actions +and events are stored away in minute cells to the number of hundreds of +thousands, and yet to the human eye they are not as visible as a pin’s +point; in fact, they have no dimensions whatever. + +Now, supposing this theory to be correct, can we not see (and I say it +with great reverence) how easy the task of the Recording Angel must +be; can we not imagine the celestial one reading the record of a man’s +brain as easily as we poor mundane mortals can scan a book? + +Are not many biblical texts elucidated by this theory; for instance, +Ecclesiastes xii. 14; Matthew xii. 37; and Hebrews iv. 13? + +But then the theory of the brain-ether, or the soul as some call +it, goes further. I am of opinion that the soul is not _spirit_ but +_matter_; matter of such infinitely minute particles as to be perfectly +invisible to even the most powerful microscope yet made. + +Let me explain my meaning more fully. + +Just as there are differences in the bulk and solidity of various +materials, so is there a vast difference in the tangibility, if I may +so term it, of various bodies and substances. + +Take a cubic foot of steel--matter beyond all doubt--and of what +closely-compacted solidity and enormous density! Then take a cubic +foot of smoke, that again is matter, but what immeasurable difference +in density, tangibility, and even visibility there is in the two +substances! + +Then go a step further, and imagine a cubic foot of gas: it is +invisible, intangible, and possesses but little density, yet it is +_matter_, it is not spirit. + +Now, seeing the vast difference between various matters, can we not +believe that the brain, instead of being soul or spirit, may still +be matter of such a rare and subtle quality that there is even more +difference between it and gas, than between gas and a solid lump of +steel or granite? + +If you can follow that suggestion you have my theory; but having spoken +of my theory I go no farther. Of what my apparatus consists I have +merely hinted, not mentioning one or two of its principal conditions. +My secret is of such vast importance that it would go a great way to +revolutionize science, history, and even religion, and I dare not +divulge it to the world at large. The more I think over the matter, +the more convinced I am that my experiments have so lifted the veil of +death, that I have stepped within the bounds of things which should be +unknown to man. + +I have passed the Rubicon of the supernatural! + +I tremble at my own temerity. + +I have now but one Gordian knot to sever. Shall my secret die with me, +and so save the civilized world much anxiety, or shall I divulge it to +a small coterie of the world’s greatest philosophers, and allow them +to work upon and improve my ideas, so that they may benefit mankind, +without revealing the secret power, which in profane hands would prove +but a curse? + +For the present the secret shall remain _mine alone_, but what I may +decide to do with it in the future, who knows? + + * * * * * + +It is not every day that one has an opportunity of receiving a +millionaire as a guest, and to have the privilege of hypnotizing one is +a still rarer thing, yet both these experiences have been mine at one +and the same time, and I will relate how it happened. + +I was staying for a few days on the Cornish coast, and had drawn my van +far on to the beach, by the side of a rivulet which, coming down from +low neighbouring hills, murmured and tumbled along its rocky bed until +it lost itself in the immeasurable sea. + +My van was placed near some rocky cliffs, in such a position as to be +snug and secluded, and yet so as to retain a view up the lovely valley +through which the little river sparkled and foamed. I selected the spot +because of its quietude and beauty; I do not care for the annoyance of +children, or the obtrusive curiosity of their elders, when they can +easily be avoided by a little forethought. + +Once or twice I noticed a tall, middle-aged gentleman roaming quietly +among the rocks and pools left by the low tide, and on one occasion +passed the seal of day with him in a casual manner; but, as he seemed +to be of a retiring disposition, I did not attempt to force my company +upon him, and passed on. + +One day I sat on a rock observing a wonderful storm-clouded sky; I +watched the great, massive, vapour clouds rolling in from the west, +growing blacker and denser each minute. I noticed the hush of the air +and the subsidence of the wind, and so did the little birds, for they +flew twittering overhead to hide themselves from the approaching storm. +Then from the clouds burst the vivid zig-zags of lightning, and the +accompanying roar of crashing thunder, gradually coming nearer and +nearer, more frequent and louder. Presently, with a sudden blast, the +wind came hurtling down with startling force and fury, licking up the +sand and shingle as it drove along; and behind it came the rain, first +a few sparse drops, then a full downpour, and finally a rushing torrent. + +This drove me into the welcome shelter of my van; but although I +securely closed the door it could not keep, from my startled ears, the +thunder crashes, as they reverberated and rolled among the stupendous +granite cliffs of the coast. My van shook, and my eyes were blinded +by several intense flashes of the discharged electric element, which +lighted up the wet rocks and the wind-swept pools with a luridly grand +but awful effect. + +The cliffs appeared as if they were being shattered and tumbled +piecemeal to the shingle below, when an unmistakable tap, tap, tap +rattled upon my door, and I fancied I heard a voice, but the crashing +and roaring noises around me were so great that I paused before opening +the door for a repetition of the sound. Indeed my nerves were strung up +to such an intense pitch that, when the taps were repeated in a louder +manner, I felt afraid to open, for fear of letting in some weird spirit +of the storm. + +Nervous, however, as I felt, I arose, and at the door, craving my van’s +humble shelter, was the silent gentleman I had spoken to a day or two +previously. I welcomed him in, but he was already wet to the skin. That +did not at all matter; I had plenty of dry clothes, which fitted him +like his own--both his and my inches being more than those allotted to +the average mortal. + +In an hour the storm was over, the sun once more shone brilliantly over +the heaving waters, while the larks rose warbling in the air, carolling +their hymn of praise for the return of the welcome sunshine. + +My guest accepted my invitation to stay and dine with me, and I found +him a very pleasant companion. He helped me to prepare and cook the +meal, and in the interval we played cribbage, smoked, and chatted. + +He had come down to Cornwall, he informed me, to escape from his +friends and mankind in general, for, having inherited some money, he +was worried and pestered on all sides by impecunious persons and +institutions; and to come to a place where he was unknown was his only +means of obtaining a little peace, “far from the madding crowd.” + +Of course I brought hypnotism upon the _tapis_ during dinner, and after +the meal was discussed, he requested me to try my hand upon him, which +of course I gladly did, with the result of obtaining from him the +following story of “Two Ruined Towers.” + +I must here point out that, though while in a hypnotic trance I can +cause my patient to tell me a story, yet when at its conclusion I +awaken him, he does not remember a word of what he has divulged, and +I do not on all occasions enlighten him; for, as I am at times the +recipient of most remarkable family secrets, crimes, and misdeeds, I +dare not commit to print a tithe of what is related to me. + + + + +II. + +TWO RUINED TOWERS. + + +When about three-and-twenty years of age I had the misfortune to lose +my father, an event which altered the whole course of my life, and +nearly unhinged my mind. My father was an artist of some repute, and as +I also loved the work, I had an ardent wish to follow in his footsteps. + +At seventeen I left school, and immediately commenced my artistic +studies under my father. I also became a student at the ---- Art +School, at which, when I was about twenty years of age, I had the good +fortune to gain a travelling scholarship of £100 a year for two years. +The first summer I spent in the British Isles, eking out my scholarship +money with the help of a small allowance from my good parent. + +The winter I spent in my father’s studio, and in the following spring +packed up my few belongings, and bidding my father farewell, travelled +to various parts of the continent, making my way gradually south +as the cold weather approached. Thus, roving about, I picked up a +fair knowledge of two or three languages, and when my time of travel +expired, found myself in Sicily, from whence, crossing over to Naples, +I spent my last few pounds in procuring a passage home on a P. & O. +steamer bound for dear old England. + +On my arrival I lost no time in sending a telegram to my father, +advising him that he might expect me on the following day. I kept my +word, and arrived at the time I had mentioned, but, alas! I found my +dear old father on a sick-bed, and was only just in time to bid him a +long farewell, for he died two days after my return home. + +The shock was so great to my nervous system that I too became ill, and +for a long time was in grave danger, hovering between life and death, +but, by careful nursing and skilful medical treatment, I eventually +pulled through. My nerves were greatly shaken at the awful home-coming +I had experienced, and the knowledge that I had not written to my +father for three weeks previous to coming to England, so that he might +know where to address me, preyed greatly upon my mind. I could not help +thinking that, had my father been able to communicate with me, I might +have returned sooner, and by so doing have possibly saved his life. I +felt somehow guilty of a kind of moral parricide, and blamed myself for +all that had happened. + +It was more than I could bear to enter the studio; everything about the +place served to call up memories of the past; even the trees around the +old house seemed to whisper as I walked beneath them, “ingrate.” + +I could not bear it. + +I felt hysterical and delirious, talking and groaning in my sleep; and +during the day roaming about the house like one distraught. + +The doctor diagnosed the case at once, and told me plainly that I must +choose one of two things--a lunatic asylum or foreign travel. + +Feeling his opinion to be a sound one, I naturally chose the latter +alternative. + +Once more I packed up my impedimenta and crossed to Dieppe, from whence +I wandered, without any decided route, across France into Switzerland, +from thence making my way gradually southward into Italy. + +I sketched and painted, selling several of my drawings to tourists who +happened to see me at work, and, I suppose, admired my productions. +Painting and wandering were my day amusements, but at night I had +another source of relaxation and forgetfulness, and that was my flute. +Upon this instrument I played fairly well, and it was my constant +practice, whenever I was in a favourable place, after my evening meal, +to bring forth my instrument and set the peasants dancing. They loved +to hear the merry English airs, and became quite excited over the +various dance tunes I played them. Minuets, jigs, strathspeys, reels, +and hornpipes, all found favour with them, and their attempts to keep +step with the more lively measures were sure to bring forth a deal of +good-natured banter, mirth, and merriment. I always placed a tin cup at +my feet, into which the dancers could drop a small coin if they felt so +disposed, and this little collection I invariably gave to relieve any +case of distress or poverty in the village. The poor peasants looked +upon me as a very strange fellow, for they could not understand why +it was I played for money and then gave it all away again, sometimes +adding to the fund from my own somewhat slender purse. + +Thus I wandered, week after week, as fancy led me, being sure of +a good reception in each village I stopped at, for my fame as an +artist-musician preceded me, and wherever I stayed for the night a +crowd would invariably assemble outside my window, ready for me to +step out flute in hand when I had finished my evening meal. + +One day I found a peculiarly effective “bit” to transfer to my canvas. +It was a lonely, mountainous district I was in, and I had tumbled +across some finely-coloured rocks, picturesquely-disposed trees, a +ruined chapel, and a turbulent, dashing, little waterfall. + +I unstrapped my light-folding easel and set to work. It was a beautiful +day, and I toiled on for several hours, singing and whistling quietly +to keep myself in countenance and spirits, for I did not see a soul in +this lonely spot. + +At last I began to grow tired of my painting, and, as the shadows +were beginning to lengthen, I packed up, and was about to foot it to +the nearest village some four miles distant, when, mingled with the +peculiar noises made by the sound of falling water, I fancied I could +hear the moaning either of a human being or some animal, apparently in +great distress or pain. + +Listening, I caught the sound of what I took to be a faint groan! + +I placed my kit upon the ground and looked around. At first I could see +nothing; but after a moment’s search I discovered an old man sitting +among the rocks, moaning and groaning at some serious injury he had +apparently received. + +Forgetting where I was, I addressed the old man in English. + +“Hallo, old fellow, what’s amiss with you?” + +He suddenly brought me to myself by replying in good English (although +spoken with a foreign accent), and informing me that whilst sitting +under a rocky cliff, contemplating the beautiful solitude, a large +portion of stone had become detached, and rolling upon his foot, had +severely crushed and cut it. + +He was a man apparently seventy years of age, with an aquiline nose, +piercing dark eyes, whose depth and brilliancy were enhanced by the +whiteness of his over-hanging eyebrows, and a fine flowing white beard. +All this I took in with an artist’s eye, and made a mental note not to +lose an opportunity, by and by, of painting such a wonderfully fine +head, if the old man would allow me. + +I tore up my pocket-handkerchief, bound up the poor crushed foot, after +bathing it with cool water from the river, and set my old friend, who +was profuse in his thanks, upon his feet. I ought perhaps say foot, for +he could not place his injured foot to the ground, and consequently was +unable to walk. I was in a dilemma; the nearest village being a smart +hour’s walk away, down in the valley. + +“Cheer up, father,” said I; “allow me to try and carry you a little; +possibly we may meet some one as we descend the road.” + +“Nay, nay, my son,” the old man replied, “leave me. Perhaps after a +rest I may be able to put my foot to the ground and proceed on my way.” + +“No, that will never do, old gentleman; do you not know that wolves +haunt these rocky heights, and would probably devour you in the night +if you were left here by yourself and unarmed?” + +“Ah, a sweet death, my son, but, alas! wolves cannot harm me.” + +I looked at him in amazement as he uttered these words, but concluded +the pain had made him somewhat delirious and wild in his talk. Then I +took him in my strong young arms and carried him down the rugged path, +halting every now and again to recover breath and rest my aching limbs; +for, although my burden was but a bag of bones, still, on a rough +mountain path, his weight began to tell before I had gone a mile, and +I feared I should become exhausted long before we reached the village +whither we were bound. + +Again and again I lifted the old man and carried him onward, but each +time I noticed the distance was less than the previous effort had +covered, and after struggling on for a couple of miles, I was forced to +give in for a long spell of rest. We were now down upon the plain, and +the sun was fast approaching the horizon, when my eye suddenly lighted +upon an ox feeding in a little green hollow a couple of hundred yards +off. Knowing that in Southern Europe oxen, to a great extent, take the +place of horses, I approached it; feeling sure that if it were an ox +broken to work, I could give my old friend a comfortable ride to the +village upon its ample back. + +The animal stood and stared at me with its great soft eyes, and +I stared back in return, but having no knowledge of the handling +of cattle, I was at a loss to know what to do next. It was an +intelligent-looking creature, so I coaxingly spoke to it in English, +trusting that if its education had not been neglected it might +understand that I meant it no harm. I took it by one of its horns, and, +to my joy, the gentle beast was good enough to follow me; and as it did +so I looked at its neck and could see where the yoke had galled it, by +which I knew it was used for agricultural purposes. + +We soon got to understand each other, and when I lifted the old man on +its back, and supported him there, the ox moved off quietly to the +village, which we reached just as the light had passed through that +stage which poets and learned men call crepuscular. + +We found a comfortable inn, and there I attended the old man for two +or three days; but I must own my attention was not altogether due to +philanthropic motives, as I spent much of each day in painting the +grand old head of my patient. As I painted, so the old man talked; and +I soon discovered he had a wonderful memory, especially for historic +subjects: he appeared to have the history of Europe and Western Asia +at his fingers’ ends. He would have made a splendid historian, for he +could remember not only the chief events of the subject he happened to +speak upon, but a great many of the minor details which go to make up +an important episode in history. + +His conversation thrilled me, and during some of his vivid recitals I +ceased painting, and sat down to listen as one spellbound. He commenced +with the struggles of the early Christians, graphically described the +decline of the Roman power, and the rise of the Northern and Western +nations. + +Then he became eloquent upon the Conquest of England, knowing that +I was a native of that land, and so minutely described the field of +Hastings, that one might have imagined he had been an eyewitness. He +spoke of the persons of William and Harold, the weapons and armour +used, and could answer my queries so exactly, that I began to fear +there was something decidedly uncanny about my model. From the Conquest +he took me, in thought and word, right through the Crusades, and with +sparkling eyes described the principal actors on the bloody fields of +Holy Land, and when describing the prowess and fierceness in battle of +our Richard Cœur de Lion, he became so excited in his recital, that, +despite his injured foot, he rose from his couch in the centre of the +room, and taking up a mahl-stick, struck and thrust in all directions, +to explain to me how he of the lion’s heart bore himself. + +I was speechless with amazement; my crippled patient was dancing about +the room with the vigour of a youth of twenty, quite regardless of the +mangled foot, which apparently gave him but little concern, and less +pain. + +“My friend,” I exclaimed loudly, “your foot!--think of your injuries! +Your description is wonderful, magnificent, but do not forget your +crippled state!” + +“Ha!” he returned, “seven times seven have passed over me, and my foot +is perfect again. See!” + +Saying which he tore off the bandages, and exhibited to my startled +eyes a foot without even a scar. + +I now began to feel a strange fear creeping over me, and I asked +him what he meant by “seven times seven passing over him?” To which +question, as near as I can recollect, his reply was this. + +“My friend, I will tell you what my meaning is, on one condition--that +for three months from now you will not divulge a word of what I am +about to speak to you. If you do, may the burden of your insincerity be +on your own head! You have proved yourself a friend to a stranger, and +the fact of your not knowing whom you have assisted, makes your act one +of greater charity, and your kindness, like that of the Good Samaritan +in my young days, shall be rewarded ere we part.” + +What, I thought, does he mean by the Good Samaritan of his youth? I +knew of but one: he of whom we read in the New Testament parable; +and I was about to ask him the meaning of this second enigma, when +he motioned me not to interrupt, and proceeded with his remarkable +monologue. + +“By ‘seven times seven’ I mean, that although an accident may befall +me, as it may any other man, yet, after seven times seven hours have +passed away, I shall be sound again. + +“I am keenly sensible to pain and to all human feelings, but _I cannot +know death_! + +“No, between death and myself a gulf has been fixed by my Master, and +though corporeal pain may for seven times seven hours rack and torture +me, I am at the end of that period whole again, even though I were +wounded ten times fatally. + +“I am the deathless one!” + +At the aspect and demeanour of my weird companion I could have shrieked +with fear; his eyes were incandescent in their blazing lustre, and the +locks of his beard and hair writhed to my astonished eyes like the +living locks of a Gorgon. + +“The stories I told you of past centuries were no mere tales gathered +from books, but were from my own personal observations. + +“I stood in Rome when it was in flames; I saw with these very eyes +the martyrdom of the early Christians; I walked through the length +and breadth of Europe while Rome, with all its power and glories, was +passing away. At Hastings I stood beside brave Harold, when a short +arrow, taking him in the eye, pierced brain and skull, and he fell dead +beside me. I have seen the Saracens fall like mast in the autumn before +the trained arms of the bold Crusaders; and when Napoleon’s army fled +from Moscow I too followed them. + +“I have felt the fierce rays of the Eastern sun and the biting winds +and frost of dreary Lapland. + +“I have courted dangers and death in all forms, but here, after +centuries, I stand before you a living mortal covered with the cloak of +immortality.” + +“Heaven help you, poor man!” I cried; “you must be distraught; mayhap +much learning has weakened your brain. Rest, good father, I implore +you. Rest on this couch, you will be better soon.” + +“Rest, rest!!” he wildly exclaimed, “there is no rest for me, nay, not +even in the peaceful grave. Often and often have I stood in Death’s +path, and have felt the icy coldness of his breath, but, alas! he has +ever passed me by unheeded.” + +“Surely,” said I, “you do not tell me that you are he who is doomed to +walk this rolling earth till the Master bids thy penance be no more?” + +“Ay,” he replied, “I am he--he whom men, without knowing my true name, +call ‘The Wandering Jew’!” + +I could scarcely believe my senses. Was the man mad? or was I mad? or +was it all a phantasy of my brain? + +My guest held out his hand to me, which I mechanically clutched; then +drawing me to the couch, we sat down together. + +“Forgive me, my young friend, for the shock I have caused you. Your +kindness has touched my heart, and for that kindness I will repay you, +as in times past I have occasionally rewarded others of my true friends. + +“Now,” he continued, lowering the tone of his voice to a kindly pitch, +“I dare say you have read of a certain mighty personage, who, in +the early days of Christianity, was returning with great spoils from +a neighbouring country, when he was hard beset by the enemy, who, +with allies, followed close upon his heels; and how to save the vast +treasures he had taken, turned aside the course of a certain river, and +at dead of night buried his spoils there, deflecting the river to its +true course again ere daydawn.” + +I bowed assent. + +“Now,” he continued, “I know the country where this took place, and +can not only point out the very river, but the identical spot in the +river where that treasure still lies hidden. Have you the perseverance, +vigour, and endurance to bring that vast hoard to the light of day +again? If so it shall be yours!” + +Hardly knowing what I was saying I replied in the affirmative, and +after further conversation we retired for the night. + +We stayed a day or two longer at the inn to procure mules and other +necessaries, and then rode off upon our distant quest. + +After weeks of wandering through mountains and valleys we came to a +river which flowed through a beautifully diversified country; hilly, +rocky, and well clothed with trees and luxurious foliage. + +Riding along the river’s bank we came to a very lonely spot,--a long +glen--through which the river peacefully flowed in meandering curves +and foaming falls. The end of the valley broadened out into a level +plain of considerable extent, and in the midst of this plain stood the +crumbling remains of two ancient towers, of which little more than the +foundations remained. + +“Here,” said my guide, “we halt; there lies our treasure,” saying +which he pointed to the deep, silent stream flowing between the two +massive towers. + +“Now,” he continued, “you must follow out the plan I have devised for +regaining the wealth which lies hidden there, and carry out everything +just as I desire you. + +“At the small town of Y---- hard by lives the owner of this land. You +will assume the character of a wealthy but eccentric (or partly mad) +Englishman. You are enchanted with the beautiful views in the glen +yonder, and wish to stay here for a long period, to paint pictures and +to generally enjoy yourself. You would like a two-roomed cottage built +near one of the towers, that you may live and sleep amid the scenery +you so love to depict. You will pay liberally. + +“That is all I ask you to do. We will proceed at once to the town and +make these very necessary arrangements. I am your mentor, your tutor, +should prying people desire to know why an old man accompanies you. + +“At Alexandria I have a friend, to whom I must write for certain +necessary implements to be sent to us, without which it will be in vain +to attempt our quest. To procure these implements shall be _my_ task. +They must be sent to the nearest port, and thence may easily be brought +here on the backs of mules. + +“D---- is the nearest port, and there my friend Isaac Susha is +harbour-master; on my bidding he will send the goods here, free from +all observation or suspicion. In the mean time our little house will +be building, and you can amuse yourself with your painting, while I +elaborate my plans and ply my angling rod, for there is much fish in +this river. I shall make an ideal fisherman, for a flowing beard points +to the contemplative man, and your true angler is certainly of a +contemplative mind; such a man was your English Izaak Walton.” + +In due course the little house was built, and the implements or goods, +supposed to be furniture, etc., arrived in six heavy cases borne on the +backs of mules. The muleteers were paid and dismissed, and in a short +time people ceased to regard us as a kind of show, and we were left in +peace and quietness, except for an occasional couple who would stroll +along in the evening to look at the mad Englishman and his keeper! Now +and again an old shepherd, whose flocks nibbled the juicy pasture of +the plain, would come and pay his respects to us, and watch the picture +growing on my canvas; but after nightfall we were never disturbed, for +the people of the district were very superstitious; and as the towers +had the reputation of being haunted, we were free from all interruption +after dark. + +I unscrewed the packing-cases, and found they contained sundry +articles of furniture, such as folding-chairs, folding iron bedsteads, +cutlery, culinary ware, etc.; but in one of the cases was a complete +diving suit, helmet, overalls, tubing, lead weight, heavy boots, and +everything that a diver requires, even to a submarine lantern. Another +case contained an air pump, extra tubing, crowbars, and sundry gear. + +My old friend chuckled with delight at my surprise, and his eyes +sparkled as we commenced putting the apparatus together. + +“Now,” said he, “the inhabitants of this country are, as you know from +the legend of the haunted towers which you have heard, very suspicious, +and probably we shall have some official or other, making it his +business to call upon us occasionally, to see what is going on, and +it will never do to let him see the pump and diving apparatus, or we +should at once be haled before some dignitary, and charged with having +dealings with the Evil One. Now I have a proposition to make, which is +this--our bedroom lies next the river, and I suggest that beneath the +floor we hollow out a small chamber, about seven feet square, in which +we can keep both the pump and diving suit from observation, so that at +whatever time during the day any one chooses to call, nothing will be +in view to betray us.” + +“Agreed!” I exclaimed; “a capital proposal; we will set to work this +very night. We will excavate, and as we dig up the earth I will carry +it in a basket to the river’s brink and throw it in.” + +“Very well,” said the ancient Jew, “I will delve, and you shall be the +beast of burden, as you suggest, for you are the stronger man.” + +“But,” I queried, “as you delve beneath the surface you will find it +very wet, you will catch your death from cold, and have your limbs set +fast with rheumatism.” + +The old Jew laughed and replied, “Death--pah! You forget, my friend, +who I am. Come, let us commence.” + +I looked at my wonderful old comrade and shuddered. + +In a fortnight we had our secret room prepared, and everything was +ready to commence our search. + +The Jew had informed me that the two towers were built by the great +General, some weeks after the treasure was hidden, at a time when +he had reasserted his power, and was once more in possession of the +country hereabouts. In the towers he placed watchmen and tax-gatherers, +whose duty it was to levy toll from each vessel passing up or down the +river; at least this was what he gave forth, but it was in reality to +guard the treasure lying buried in the bed of the river, which at a +convenient time he purposed recovering. + +For some years he was harassed by the enemy, and at length died, +whereupon the enemy retook the country, and the new ruler, not being +aware of the treasure buried in the river, carried on the custom of +demanding toll, as he considered it a capital institution. + +Years went by, men and manners changed, and the towers were neglected +and fell into decay; but around the hoary ruins many curious legends +gathered, and among others one which came very near the truth, as +it told of an ancient king, who, in flight, being hard pressed by +his pursuers, was in such haste to cross the river that the boat was +overset, the king and many others drowned, and a great deal of valuable +_spoil lost in the river_. + +The Jew smiled at this particular story, and remarked that although, +like the legend, his was only hearsay, yet, as he received his account +first-hand from a friend who was _an eyewitness_ of the diversion of +the river and the subsequent burial of the treasure, there could be +but little romance about his version, which he averred was solid, +substantial fact. + +“Now,” he observed in conclusion, “I am positive that the treasure was +buried midway between those two towers, but whether after the flight +of all these centuries we shall find it, or in what form we shall find +it, I cannot say; but if you are willing we will make the search, and +if successful the whole shall be yours; I require nothing! The mere +search is ample reward for me, as it serves to break the monotony of my +existence.” + +We commenced diving operations in a very timid manner, or at least I +did, for although I had witnessed divers at work, I had never before +had any actual experience; still, as the Jew said, “There was no hurry.” + +The first few nights were spent in fitting up the apparatus, in making +experimental dives, and in concocting a signal code that we might +understand each other, etc. + +The sensation of submarine diving has so often been described that I +will not attempt to state what my feelings were at the outset of the +operations; suffice it to say that they were far from pleasant, but +with practice I soon became expert, especially as the deepest part of +the water was not more than twenty feet, so that I did not suffer much +from compression. + +I quickly discovered that the bed of the river was somewhat muddy, +that is to say, there was a deposit of several inches of mud or soft +earth, resting upon a substratum of gravel. In some parts large beds of +weeds were to be seen sailing their long fronds upward to a height of +several feet: these I quickly cut away, and with great labour at length +succeeded in clearing away the upper layer of soft ooze nearly from +bank to bank, and for a width of perhaps twenty yards near the centre. + +We worked four “turns” per night of an hour each, with an interval +of half-an-hour between each dive, so that we were occupied from 10 +p.m. till 4 a.m., when we went to bed and slept till 10 o’clock, +beside obtaining several little daylight snoozes when all was quiet. +The Sunday was to us a true Sabbath, and no manner of work was done, +not even cooking; we reserved that day for prayer, meditation, +conversation, and much-needed rest. + +We had now been working for six whole weeks, but though everything +was in perfect working order, and the river-bed was being cleared, we +had no more knowledge of the exact location of the spoil than when we +arrived three months previously. + +The real toil now commenced; for digging in the river-bed had to be +undertaken at depths varying from fifteen to twenty feet beneath the +surface. To dig on dry land a hole of four or five feet in depth is a +comparatively easy task, but to dig a hole of like depth _under water_ +is a most arduous undertaking, a task requiring strength, perseverance, +and much patience. Tools used under water are difficult to manage, and +by reason of the resistance of the water lose half their efficacy. For +instance, a strong man wielding a heavy hammer under water, although +he may strive his hardest, and exert his full strength, can only make +his blow of the same force that a child of ten could strike on _terra +firma_, because the water resists his arm and the fall of the hammer, +in proportion to the area of surface of his arms and the implement. I +also found that when using a spade I could only remove a portion of +a spadeful each time, as the current and swirl of water floated the +lighter particles off, leaving only the heavier pieces upon the blade +of the spade; thus digging holes in the expectation of finding the +treasure was a wearisome task, especially as I had to cease my work at +frequent intervals, to allow the turbid water, thick with sediment, to +become clear enough for me to see what I was about. Thus toiling on, +another five weeks passed wearily away, without the least trace of our +quest being discovered. + +The Jew at length began to weary of pumping air to me, and I of diving +and delving, so we resolved to take a few days’ rest, and decide what +further steps we should take in our search. + +The river was about forty yards wide, and although I had sunk about +a dozen pits in the bed of the stream, I had discovered absolutely +nothing. + +I thought the matter carefully over each day, but could only come to +the conclusion that we were either searching in the wrong place, or +that the treasure had long since been washed away and lost. Still, I +could not imagine how even the swiftest torrent could affect or move +anything buried beneath the river-bed at a depth of four or five feet. +Then it struck me that earthquakes were not unknown in the region, and +a shock might have caused an upheaval of the river-bed, by which the +treasure might have been exposed and washed away centuries ago by some +unusually heavy flood. If this had happened, was it not also probable +that the stumps of the two towers would have been rent and cracked in +many places? + +Certainly it was. + +I therefore examined the ruined towers, but their foundations were +perfect, save for a few superficial fractures. I thereupon concluded +that my earthquake theory was not tenable. + +I next examined the banks on each side of the river, especially the +portion immediately _between the towers and the water_, and found that +on one side, the side farthest from our hut or cottage, solid rock +formed the principal part of the bank. From the tower on that bank to +the brink of the water was a distance of just fifty feet; but the tower +on our side of the river stood within ten feet of the water, and the +foundation stood upon an ordinary layer of earth, with an under stratum +of gravel similar to the bed of the river. + +My old friend and I could see nothing in this to assist us in any way; +but when I retired to rest that night I could not help asking myself +the question, “Why does one tower stand fifty feet from the water and +the other only ten?” + +Was it not probable that whoever built the towers would erect them at +equal distances from the river? And again--If one tower were required +for some reason to be nearer the water than the other, would it not be +the one which was built upon the solid rock? + +Over these questions I pondered and worried half through the night, +while my old comrade snored away as peacefully and regularly as he had +done any time during the past nineteen centuries. + +Before I joined my companion in a nasal duet I came to the following +conclusions:-- + +1. Probably centuries ago the river had been much narrower. + +2. A river does not keep its exact course for ever: many things may +cause it to change its course. + +3. This river had not diverged much from its original course, as proved +by the towers; but if it had diverged at all it was towards the eastern +tower (cottage side). + +4. The towers were exactly one hundred and eighty feet apart, but the +true centre of the river would be forty feet from the west bank and +eighty feet from the east bank. + +5. River _beds_ may rise or fall from their original level, by +deposits of earthy particles settling, and thus covering up what was +once the true river-bed; or by a swift river scouring off the upper +surface of the bed, which would thus eventually expose anything hidden +at a depth of five or six feet below the bed. + +6. The deepest part of a river is usually in the centre, and there +would probably be the spot where anything in the way of treasure would +be buried, because of the greater inaccessibility. + +Next day the Jew and I held a consultation, when we decided, after +carefully weighing the above ideas, that I should cut a trench five +feet deep and twenty or thirty yards long, from north to south, along +the bed of the river in a line with its course, and at a distance of +forty feet from the west bank, a spot which we surmised to be the +centre of the river in ancient times. + +Again night after night I toiled, and for three weeks I dug and delved, +but this time not _quite_ in vain, for at the end of this period I came +upon a hard substance which I supposed to be just what I had struck my +spade upon many times before--a stone. I took it in my hand, for the +water was too turbid to see anything clearly beneath its surface, and +felt it to be much too heavy for a flint of the size of one’s fist. +Probably it was metal! + +My heart beat swiftly as I ascended. + +I took it to the hut and examined it. It was indeed metal--it was gold! + +We gazed upon it for some time, and then, placing it upon the table, I +capered round it with delight. The Jew was very calm over it. + +“Wait,” said he; “this may only be a solitary nugget dropped from a +boat, or thrown into the stream by some thief to hide his guilt.” + +I went soberly to work again, taking with me a small basket weighted +with stones to prevent it floating away. I dug, and again struck upon +large nuggets, which I placed in the basket; I also found pieces of +metal which had evidently been shaped by human hands, although they +were in such a corroded state that I could only surmise what had once +been their shape or use. I washed off the adhering gravel and took my +find ashore to the hut, trembling with excitement as I did so. + +Hurrah! every piece was pure gold! gold!! gold!!! Then, being +thoroughly exhausted by my long dive and the excitement of my +discovery, I frightened my companion nearly out of his wits by +fainting, and falling like a log of timber at his feet. + +When I awoke it was broad daylight, and I was lying comfortably in my +cot, but with a very bad headache. + +I groaned, for it at once flashed across my mind that the basket of +gold was, after all, nothing but a dream, a delusion! + +Calling my friend from the other room, and glaring at him the while, I +asked half-a-dozen questions before he could answer one. + +“Calm yourself, my son, and I will answer all your questions, but not +before you give me your word that nothing shall excite you. Remember, +that in your overwrought state, with a burning brain, an enfeebled +frame, and a naturally excitable temperament, such a thing as madness +might overtake you, or an attack of brain fever seize you.” + +“Father, I will be a very Stoic; nothing shall unduly move me.” + +“Prove then that you can control your feelings by not asking me a +single question till you have eaten your breakfast.” + +I obeyed; but how every morsel stuck in my throat, and had literally +to be washed down with coffee. The apparently everlasting meal was at +length finished, and again I put my numerous questions, and recounted +my dream of the basket of gold. Then with a gesture intended to compose +me, the Jew drew forth from a locker the basket of gold, and held it +out to my astonished gaze. + +“Gold!” I exclaimed, stretching out my trembling hand. + +“Yes, gold,” said the Jew, quietly placing the basket upon the table as +if it contained apples. “Gold, simple gold; would you be so weak as to +addle your brain for a basketful of the vile dross? It is at once the +curse and blessing of humanity; it kills and it saves; it blackens the +pure, and gilds vice; it creates and it destroys, and more often paves +the way to hell than builds a ladder to heaven.” + +What my friend said upon gold would fill many pages, but to shorten +these remarks I will simply say that his eloquence and force of +argument were so great, that I presently became infected with his ideas +of the metal before me. I had been like a man drunk with gold, but had +now become sober with advice. + +My fevered brain quieted down, and I simply resolved in my mind that +I should be a rich man. Well! what of that, there were plenty of rich +men in the world who lived and enjoyed their wealth, but then--unlike +my ancient friend--a few short years would bring them face to face with +that great harvestman, Death, and what of the riches then? + +In a day or two, having with the Jew’s kind nursing and attention +quieted my mind, I re-commenced my work, and found many more baskets of +gold of various shapes; battered crowns, cups, shield bosses, rings, +and ornaments of all kinds, many of them with gems in them, were +brought to the surface; and one night as I lay in bed, it came into my +head that I would the next night bring ashore a basketful of the loose +gravel, and examine it to see if any small pieces of gold were among it. + +Accordingly the next night, as most of the large pieces of gold had +been gathered, I filled my basket with gravel, and took it to the hut, +where I spread it forth on the table. + +To our astonishment, not only did we discover small pieces of gold, but +precious stones, cut and uncut, were to be seen sparkling amid the heap +of gravel. The gravel was of more value than the lumps of gold! + +The cut gems we put carefully by in a box, and those in a rough state, +which we had more difficulty in finding because they were of a dull and +lustreless surface, we placed in a large leathern bag. + +I found I had literally been shovelling up precious stones when I +fancied I was digging gravel, but now that I was aware of the value +of the gravel-bed, I carefully brought every basketful ashore, and +together we sorted over the contents. + +For several weeks, night by night, I continued my work of diving, until +nature gave out, and I became completely prostrate, and by my old +friend’s advice resolved to give up seeking for more valuables. I had +gold of ten times my own weight, several leathern bags of natural uncut +gems, about a peck of beautiful cut jewels, and enough ring-seals +and ornaments to stock a museum; I was rich beyond my most extravagant +dreams. I was twice over a millionaire! + +[Illustration: “Precious stones, cut and uncut, were to be seen +sparkling amid the heap of gravel.”--_p. 58._] + +The Wandering Jew had but a few more days to be with me, for he may not +sojourn at one place more than six months, and that privilege is only +allowed him once in each century; at other times a calendar month is +his longest stay at any place. Usually he tramps from place to place, +halting but a short time at each town or village; at other times he +undertakes long journeys among the Caucasus Mountains, the Urals, or +the Alps; at other times he hies him to Norway, Finland, and even +Siberia. These journeys he undertakes with no other encumbrance than a +long staff. He can accomplish feats that would be impossible to other +mortals: no wild animal dare attack him; cold he can feel but it cannot +harm him; sleep has no hold upon him when he wills himself to remain +awake, nor does hunger have any pangs for him, as he is able to fast +for weeks at a time without any great inconvenience. He speaks many +languages and knows many countries. He wants for nothing, as he has the +power of willing persons to give him exactly what he may require, not +_against_ their will, but with pleasure to themselves. + +For the few days which remained we occupied ourselves in packing +and forwarding the boxes by different routes, and under different +disguises, to my home in distant England, in which I longed once more +to set foot. + +I endeavoured in every way to obtain the real name of my generous old +friend, but without success, and am sorry to say he did not even give +me the opportunity of thanking him for having made me a millionaire, +for one stormy morning when I arose I found myself alone; my comrade +had flown, leaving upon the table a scrap of paper bearing these words-- + + “My son, riches added neither to the honour nor happiness of the great + king Solomon; how, then, shall they bring _thee_ peace--that peace + which is the spirit of happiness--except by doing good with that which + earth and water have yielded up to thee? + + “Do good with thy riches, and thy fellow men shall bless and reverence + thee. + + “Use thy riches in a selfish or discreditable manner, and thy gold + shall turn to lead as thou graspest it, and drag thee deep down to an + eternal doom. Fare thee well. + + “(Signed) JOHN XXI., xxiv.” + + * * * * * + +Many were the schemes which racked my brain for turning my valuables +into money; and for a long time after returning to England I did not +know how to proceed, but at length hit upon a plan. The very numerous +relics of pagan times I presented, under various assumed names, to +museums throughout the kingdom. The gold I had no difficulty in +disposing of to the large manufacturing jewellers in Birmingham. The +uncut precious stones I occasionally send in parcels of a thousand to +M. Koster of Amsterdam, who for the past ten years has set apart a +wing of his great establishment, containing twenty-five men, who are +constantly employed in cutting and polishing gems for me. These are +then sent to agents in all parts of the world, and disposed of, the +proceeds being placed to my account in the Bank of England. + +I live as a wealthy country gentleman should, in good style, but +without ostentation. I travel a great deal in the summer, and to every +genuine call of distress my purse is open, but the cases requiring +pecuniary aid which come under my _personal_ observation are not nearly +enough to absorb the amount--about £100,000--which I wish to spend +yearly in charity and good philanthropic work. My money is distributed +over the British Isles to charities of every denomination under the +initials A. Z., which you have probably often seen in the daily +newspapers, and I trust I may live for many years to bestow my largesse +on cases and institutions worthy of aid. + +I have more than I shall spend during my lifetime, but there is +doubtless a great deal more treasure in the river-bed which I +overlooked in my hasty search, and which could be made the means of +alleviating much suffering, wretchedness, and distress in this country, +if it were brought to light by some one who would search for it in a +more diligent and thorough manner than I did, and who would, when he +had secured it, put it to the same good use that I am doing. To whom +could I tell the secret of the whereabouts of the ruined towers, with +the certainty that he would carry out my wishes? + +I wonder who would take up the search at the point at which I ceased? + +By obtaining permission from the government of Z----, the river’s +course could be again deflected as it was in the early Christian days, +and the remaining treasure systematically and leisurely recovered. + + * * * * * + +It was quite late when my guest left me that night, after having first +extracted from me the promise that I would call upon him at his humble +inn in the happy valley next day. + +Having made a parcel of the still wet clothes I called next morning +upon my new friend, and spent the day with him, wandering about the +valley, and trying a cast with the fly. On parting in the evening +he informed me that he was to return to town next day, and I should +probably see him no more. + +A day or two after his departure a man came down to the beach leading +a fine piebald mare, and inquiring if I were Mr. S----. I informed him +that that was my name, whereupon he gave me a note written in pencil, +reading thus-- + + “MY DEAR FRIEND, + + “I cannot allow the day I spent in your cosy domicile on wheels to + pass without some little acknowledgment of the courtesy shown me, and + of the kindness you extended to a perfect stranger. By bearer I send + you a magpie, which kindly accept as a remembrance of + + “Your obliged friend, + “H. K. K. (A. Z.)” + +I have never seen H. K. K. since, although I think I could, if I +wished, make a very near guess at his real name and abode. The magpie +still tugs myself and home from place to place, the admired of all +beholders from the beauty of his peculiar markings. He makes my caravan +an object of extra interest wherever I go, simply because of the +superstitious belief that a piebald horse brings luck. + +Some people _wish_ when they see my horse, others affirm that stroking +its glossy hide helps to realize their wish. Parents whose children +suffer from St. Vitus’s dance have asked me to allow the afflicted ones +to ride a little way on its back, in the belief that such exercise on a +parti-coloured steed will effect a cure. + +A jockey about to ride a race on a certain occasion begged seven black +hairs from the tail of my horse and seven white ones from its mane. I +granted his request, and watched him bind the hairs carefully round the +handle of his riding-whip. I witnessed the race with more than usual +interest, and strangely enough the superstitious jockey WON his race by +a short head. + +At more than one inn at which I have halted, the landlord would take +no money for the maintenance of my parti-coloured horse, saying that +bad luck would fall upon them if they charged for the keep of a “lucky” +horse. + +So much for credulity and superstition! + + + + +III. + +INTRODUCTION TO “A STRANGE RESURRECTION.” + + +While travelling along the Norfolk coast, and enjoying its golden sands +and bracing breezes, I fell in with a jolly old fellow who was mending +one of the huge oaken breakwaters, with which some parts of this +wind-swept coast are protected, to prevent the encroachment of the sea, +which, year by year and slice by slice, devours the soft clay cliffs, +as regularly and insatiably as a ploughboy consumes his thumbpiece +after the first two hours of morning work. + +The jolly one had charge of a gang of half-a-dozen semi-amphibious +agricultural labourers, who were driving down the great iron-shod +piles deep into the sand, by means of an erection very similar in +construction to a guillotine, except that instead of the lunette a huge +block of iron weighing several hundredweight fell upon the pile to be +driven when a lever is pulled. + +The men, with whom I conversed while they ate their noonday meal, were +of the usual type of tawny-bearded, brown-faced, straight-nosed men one +sees on the east coast, who, when not employed in farm work, gain their +scanty living on the sea. But the ganger was a man of a different +stamp; he was short and thick like a Shetland pony, and very nearly as +rugged and unkempt as one of those sturdy animals, for his iron-grey +beard and hair blew about in the wind like the tattered rags on a +mawkin. + +He was a most jocular little-big man, full of fun and funny sayings, +and the loudest to laugh at his own jokes was--himself. His laugh was +hearty at any time, but on special occasions he would give a peculiar +roar that would quite startle any person not used to Billy Flowerdue’s +wild guffaw. + +I invited Billy to spend an evening in my caravan, an invitation which +he readily accepted, as he was some miles from his home, and only at +present lodging in the inn of a neighbouring village. + +Billy opened his eyes at many of the curiosities I had picked up during +my travels, and widest of all at a curious piece of work which had +been made by a man in the same line of business as himself--that of a +carpenter and wheelwright. It was a wooden leg, which had been made for +a cow, and which the animal had worn for several years, until she met +her death by lightning. + +It was a curious contrivance made of two pieces of wood, jointed at the +knee with a pair of ordinary iron hinges, and made to fly out straight +when the animal arose from a recumbent position, by means of thick +india-rubber springs attached from the upper to the lower timbers. + +If the powerfully-built little carpenter opened his eyes wide at what +he was pleased to call “that thayer cur’us contraption,” he did so even +more fully when I asked him to allow me to send him to sleep by a +peculiar power I possessed, and I quite believe he thought I was either +insane, bent on robbing him, or else thirsting for his blood. + +I had, therefore, to fully explain the meaning of hypnotism to Billy, +who, although a masterful hand with the adze or chisel, had apparently +no brain for other subjects. His head was full of chips and timber, +and nothing more. By dint of persevering persuasion, he was at length +prevailed upon to permit me to place him in a state of trance, but +not until I had first placed my faithful collie “Skybo” in a mesmeric +sleep; at the sight of which Billy laughed loudly enough to make the +plates and crockery in my house on wheels rattle again. + +I had no need to ask Billy to give up his mind, and allow himself to +think of just nothing at all, for it appeared a chronic state with him, +to which he relapsed after every laugh. When he did enter the trance +state he related the following very curious adventure of his early days. + + +A STRANGE RESURRECTION. + +I am not what you may term an _old_ man, being a few months short of +sixty-five years, but though my years are totalling up considerably, my +spirits are light as a feather, and although fifty years have passed +away since the story I am about to tell you took place, the incidents +are as vivid in my memory as they were a month after their occurrence. + +I was a youngster of fourteen or fifteen at the time I am about to +speak, and like most boys of that age had a liking for the sea, +especially as I dwelt in a great seaport where every one was in +some way or other connected with fish or ships, and where even the +schoolboys’ common expressions were flavoured with nautical terms. + +My birthplace was Great Yarmouth, and at the time I left school in +1835, no one seemed to ask the question, which we so frequently hear +now, of “What are you going to do with your son?” because it seemed +predestined that the entrance of a boy into the world should be by way +of the high seas. Each boy at the age of fourteen or fifteen appeared +to look forward intuitively to the time when he should make his first +voyage, or join one of the great herring fleets which annually leave +Yarmouth in August; and he knew also that his maiden experience was +merely a test, to ascertain for what particular division of toilsome +nautical life he was most fitted. + +Some liked the sea and its thrilling dangers, and stuck to it through +fair weather and foul, working their way upward, till in a very few +years they became mate, skipper, and presently part owner of the smack +or lugger they commanded. Others preferred shore life; the sea was too +coy a mistress for them to woo; and they were accordingly apprenticed +to sail or mast-makers, shipwrights, smiths, netmakers, or something +of the kind connected with shipping. Others again would volunteer for +service in Her Majesty’s Navy, being taken with the trim appearance of +the young fellows who had preceded them in that branch of the nautical +life, and came home on leave, to show off their little horde of gold +saved from their first cruise money. + +Yet another set there were who, disdaining the toil of a fisher’s +life, the subordination of the navy, or of being always ashore at some +trade, chose the freer life which was led by those who were apprenticed +to the coasting or mercantile trade. + +On leaving school I determined to see about me a little, and +accordingly cast in my lot with the latter group, and was in due course +enrolled as an apprentice on the books of _The Ladybird_, a smart +little trading brig, belonging to Yarmouth. + +My father at the time kept an inn called the “Jolly Waggoner,” just +out of the town, on the Caister Road, and as it was early spring, the +various caravans were moving from their winter quarters, and their +owners painting and gilding up their properties ready for the round +of the fairs, which in Norfolk commence in the spring and run right +through the months, till Christmas and heavy snows put a stop to them +for the year. + +At the side of the “Jolly Waggoner” was a large piece of spare +ground, upon which might frequently be seen four or five caravans +being repaired and painted; my father uniting in his own person the +businesses of painter, publican, carpenter, and smith; so that with one +thing and another he made a very fair living in a quiet way. + +Well, a couple of days before _The Ladybird_ was to sail with a general +cargo to the Faroe Isles, the skipper, towards evening, came down to +my father’s house to settle about my premium money, and to give me an +opportunity of signing my indentures. + +Captain Cooper, that was his name, was a jolly, genial man, full of fun +and merriment, and had the name for being a most able seaman; and as +he was part owner of the vessel, my father had no doubt that I should +be in good and safe hands. They were old schoolmates and life-long +friends, so, as Captain Cooper remarked, it would only be leaving one +father on shore to serve under another at sea--a kind of nautical +foster-father. + +I was delighted when the indenture was pushed across the table to +receive my signature, and though I made a big blot to start with, I +afterwards signed my name very well, which was more than I could say +for either of my two fathers, for their hands were so stiff, and the +pen so scratchy, that they made very laborious work of it. The captain +wrote his name as much with his jaws as with his pen, for sticking his +tongue into his cheek, he elongated and rolled his lower jaw in a most +curious manner, apparently forming each letter with the tip of his +tongue on the inside of his cheek, and then simultaneously scrawling in +the same slow manner with the quill pen on the parchment before him. + +My father signed with a big cross, so his task was soon over, but +still not before he had made the pen give a big splutter, just as a +sea-rocket does when it touches the water, and the ink flew in spray +from bottom to top of the important document. + +By the time the witnesses had signed their names, and spattered their +share of ink over the indenture, the whole thing was highly decorated, +and looked for all the world like a map of some large city, showing by +black dots the positions of the various places of interest. + +After such a Herculean task, much refreshment was required, supplied, +and in due course consumed. + +I can fancy myself now sitting in the cosy bar-parlour--though it is +fifty years ago--listening to the wonderful yarns spun by Captain +Cooper; yarns which appeared to me to become more astounding as he +warmed up with the many and various liquids he imbibed. + +Then I recollect a startling occurrence which happened in the midst +of the story-telling; it was the entrance of a travelling showman, +who wished to know if he could put up at our house for the night, as +he wanted some repairs done to his caravan next day. He was of medium +height, stoutish and florid, just the type of person one would expect +to be connected with the show business. He was a perfect stranger to +my father, but as there was work to be done for him in the morning, my +father bade him take his caravan upon the green, and after he and the +ostler had fixed up all for the night, come and have a comfortable pipe +and chat with us. + +Jim, our ostler, accompanied the showman, and having stabled the +horse for the night, and put the van into a good berth, the showman +rejoined us. He proved to be a capital story-teller, as are most of his +profession. His tales, if anything, were more wonderful than Captain +Cooper’s; anyway, I never heard such stories as they told one against +the other, and I do not doubt that if I had glanced at myself in the +looking-glass, my eyes would have resembled small china tea-saucers. My +father did not call them stories, he used a harsher but shorter word; +but I, in my verdancy, imagining they _might_ be true, gave them the +benefit of the doubt, and swallowed them like so many sugar-plums. + +Now the thing that fixes this scene so vividly on my memory was, that +while these men were so busy racking their brains for the toughest +yarns, the half-door leading into the bar was suddenly opened, and the +space filled with the huge form of a man, who inquired, in no amiable +strain, if the showman were going to sit there all night, and leave him +without so much as a quart to moisten his lips with. + +The ceiling of the bar-parlour was certainly not lofty, being barely +seven feet from the floor, but to my surprise, and I might also add +horror, when the man pushed open the half-door and entered the room +he could not stand upright, so gigantic was his stature. His entrance +created quite a commotion among those present, but the showman soon +smoothed matters by ordering a gallon of ale, and telling us that our +visitor was a giant with whom he was travelling round the country for +exhibition purposes. + +I had never seen a giant before, and he quite frightened me when he +planted himself right beside me on the settle. I rose to find fresh +quarters, not quite so close to such an uncanny monster, but he pulled +me back and sat me on his knee, just as if I had been a four-year-old +child, instead of a good-sized lad of fifteen. + +His hands and feet were enormous, and when I shook hands with him at +his request, my decent-sized fist looked like a baby’s in his huge +paw. He was not only tall, but he was large-framed, and well built +in every way; a man of enormous strength, and, as I soon found, of +prodigious appetite. He had, so the showman informed us, just been +captured from the plough in Yorkshire, and the showman was taking him +round, and paying him double as much as he could earn by his work as +an agricultural labourer. The giant liked the nomadic life, and the +princely sum of eighteen shillings a week made him something of a +Crœsus compared with other working men. + +Somehow I could not take to the man, although he seemed to show a +great partiality for me; he was rough, coarse of speech, and of a +pugnacious temperament; but, except for one or two little bickerings, a +very pleasant evening was spent, and the showman, who was in his cups, +insisted upon seeing Captain Cooper back to the ship, as the Captain +could not steer straight; in fact, he could scarce make headway at all, +as his legs would cross and keep tripping him up. The end of it was +that the showman’s horse was brought out, the Captain strapped on his +back, and the showman hoisted up behind, to navigate the steed to the +quay. Jim the ostler followed quietly behind on foot, and returned an +hour later with the horse, informing my father that he had left both +skipper and showman fast asleep on the cabin floor. + +Then we went to bed, and saw no more of the tipsy showman till ten +o’clock next morning, when he turned up at the “Jolly Waggoner” looking +very seedy. + +Well, now having introduced my _dramatis personæ_, I must say a few +words concerning the ship, the lively little _Ladybird_. She was a trim +little oak-built brig of some 200 tons, well found in gear and stores, +and carried beside the skipper, a mate, three hands, and a cook, to +which please add your humble servant as articled apprentice. Our cargo +was a very miscellaneous one, and consisted principally of barreled +beef and pork, cloth, linen, beer, spirits, hardware and cutlery, for +we were bound on a trading expedition to the Faroe Islands, where +we were to take in a cargo of salt-fish, bird-skins, fur, guano, +seal-skins, oil, etc., in exchange for the goods we were taking out, as +very little ready money is in circulation in those out-of-the-way isles. + +The skipper did not expect to be gone more than two months, as the +distance from Yarmouth to the Faroes is not more than a thousand miles, +inclusive of touching at the Orkneys and Shetland _en route_; so +when I bade my father farewell on the quay, I anticipated being back +for my birthday on the 10th of June, but my case was only one more +exemplification of the adage, “Man proposes, but God disposes,” as will +be seen. + +I was in a great flutter of excitement when the hour of departure +really _did_ arrive, which was not till near noon instead of eight +sharp, as the skipper had announced. I was like a monkey just escaped +from its cage, here, there, and everywhere; and when we dropped down +the river to the harbour’s mouth, on the very last of the ebb, I can +recollect how I scrambled aloft when the order was given to loosen and +hoist sail. I did not know what to do certainly, but I watched the +others, and worked away till my fingers, arms, aye and every limb ached +again--but I was supremely happy until _mal-de-mer_ overtook me, and +then I went below and turned into my berth. + +A couple of days found me all alive again, and on deck as merry as a +cricket. We were now off Aberdeen, quietly drawing along under all +sail, and everything going as merry as a marriage bell. + +As night began to close in around us we had Peterhead (the chief +whaling port) right on our port beam, and that gave Captain Cooper an +opportunity to tell some of his yarns about the whaling cruises he had +participated in when a young man in the Greenland seas. + +After dark, being past Kinnard’s Head, near Frazerburgh, we had the +great gulf between Aberdeenshire and Caithness on our port beam, and +were quite out of sight of land. The wind, which had been lazy all the +day, now began to freshen and back a little to the south of west, +which was very favourable for our sailing. Seeing this the captain +made up his mind not to call in at Kirkwall, the chief town in the +Orkneys, but to leave it for the homeward voyage, and take advantage +of the favouring breeze to push on to Lerwick in the Shetland Isles. +His orders before turning in were consequently given to the mate to be +carried out, unless a change of wind should occur, in which case the +skipper was to be called. + +Having got over my sea-sickness and found my sea-legs, the day appeared +too short for me, so I agreed with the cabin-boy, Joey Nicholls, that +we would not turn in till the end of the first watch (midnight), but +stay on deck and enjoy the beautiful evening, for it was a lovely mild +moonlight night. My own watch was the second dog-watch, which is over +at eight p.m., so Joey and I had laid ourselves out for a further four +hours’ fun before turning in. + +For a long time we chatted with old Bunks, whose turn at the wheel it +was, and then getting tired of him, we took off our shoes and skylarked +about in the beautiful moonlight. We set each other various tricks +to perform, at which we found we were about equal; but presently +Joey, whose turn it was to set the next task, ascended to the mizzen +cross-trees, and sat there for two or three minutes, when he came down +and dared me to do the same feat. It was a simple task enough, but it +must be remembered I had only had two or three days on the sea, and had +hardly overcome my nervousness in going aloft even in the daytime, and +to ascend at night when the moon throws such black shadows from the +sails, was quite trial enough for me. + +However, I essayed it, and arrived safely at the cross-trees, upon +which I perched myself in a very gingerly manner, for fear (in my +ignorance) that my weight might cause them to break. I sat and looked +upon the heaving waters around, and was endeavouring to summon courage +to look on deck from my dizzy height, when I heard a thud and a cry of +pain below me, and involuntarily glancing down, I saw the mate strike +Bunks, who was hanging to the spokes of the wheel. As I looked another +blow descended, and then breaking the unfortunate man’s hold from the +spokes, I saw the mate deliberately pitch him over the taffrail into +the white wake of the _Ladybird_, where he seemed to float a minute and +then disappear. + +Almost simultaneously I saw a strange man seize poor Joey, struggle +with him to the bulwarks and throw him overboard. Joey could swim, and +I could hear his shrieks for several minutes, as he vainly struck out +after the brig, which was making three feet to his one. + +I could not recognize the assailant of my poor chum; but when I looked +under the foot of one of the sails, I beheld, to my horror, the +herculean form of the giant I had left a few days before at my father’s +inn, the “Jolly Waggoner.” I could scarcely believe my eyes, but a form +like the one beneath me on the deck was such as one sees scarcely in a +lifetime, and when once seen cannot readily be forgotten. + +My heart beat quickly, and I trembled so violently that I could with +difficulty retain my hold of the ropes to prevent myself from falling +to the deck. I could not keep my eyes off the figures beneath me, and +in the bright moonlight could detect their every movement. I saw the +showman go to the wheel and pull his coat-collar up and his cap-peak +down, and the giant hide himself behind the cook’s galley, which stood +amidships. + +Then the mate went to the fo’castle scuttle and bawled out, “All hands +tumble up, man overboard; shorten sail--be alive there--don’t stop to +shave,” and the usual patter for suddenly turning up a crew, and in a +twinkling up came the three men from their berths, rubbing the sleep +out of their eyes with their knuckles. + +“Here, lads,” said the mate, pointing to the boat which was hanging +from the davits, “jump in and lower away. Old Bunks is in the water +astern. Look alive now!” + +They stepped up to the boat and began to right side her, when out +from his lurking-place behind the galley sprang the giant, and in a +trice, with a heavy cudgel, he knocked the three poor fellows down like +ninepins, and before they could recover, picked them up one by one like +bags of chaff, and tossed them over the bulwarks into the silent sea. + +At this sight my senses nearly forsook me; but clasping the mizzen +top-mast convulsively I hung on, cogitating what to do, and deciding +that if either of the three fiends below should attempt to ascend the +shrouds to take me, I would save them the commission of another murder +by precipitating myself on the hard deck below, thus hoping to kill +myself instantaneously. + +They descended into the fo’castle, looked into the cook’s galley and +under the boat to try and discover me, and I heard them mention my name +several times, coupled with most awful threats and voluble profanity. +They did not appear to think of looking aloft for me; but as I pressed +my body to the mast I was afraid, so great was my agitation, and +knowing wood to be such a splendid conductor of sound, that they might +hear the violent throbbing of my heart as they passed the foot of the +mast. It was a foolish idea, but at the time I quite believed it beat +with noise enough to betray me. + +After another search the mate, with an oath, exclaimed, “Leave the +---- till the morning; we can scrag him then just as well as now. Come +below, lads, and have a drink, for I think we’ve finished our job in a +very neat fashion!” + +They all went down into the little cabin, which contained two berths, +one for the captain and the other for the dastardly mate. The +skylight being a little open I could hear them talking, but could not +distinguish what they said; and I could also hear the clinking of +glasses and the drawing of corks. + +But what of Captain Cooper? So far I had neither heard nor seen him. +Was he dead, or what had become of him? + +I had no means of ascertaining. + +How long I sat on the cross-trees I could not say, but presently the +voices in the cabin grew less noisy, and at length ceased altogether. +Whereupon I imagined that the ruffians had drunk so much that they had +fallen asleep. I listened for some time longer, and at length, as all +was quiet, and I was getting numb with sitting so long in one position, +I quietly quitted my eyrie, and with trembling steps descended to the +deck, and peeped through the small aperture left for ventilation at +the edge of the cabin skylight. Although I could hear voices I could +perceive no one in the cabin; however, I noticed one thing which +surprised me--that a small trap-door in the cabin floor stood slightly +raised, and from the space beneath came rays of light, showing that +the conspirators were doing something in the hold. Now I thought, if I +could only steal down the companion, I could not only look round the +cabin for some signs of the captain, but I might also get a glimpse +beneath the trap-door and see what was going on below. I doubted my +courage, but not for long, as it occurred to me that the captain, after +all, might not be dead; and in the fact of his being still alive laid +my only chance of escape. + +I felt my way cautiously down the dark stairway, and peered down the +partly-open trap-door. I could see the three villains on their knees +sorting over papers, which might have been one-pound bank-notes by +their size, and the care with which they were being counted out. In +front of the giant stood a large leathern bag, with its mouth wide +open, displaying bright golden guineas in great numbers; evidently +the gang were dividing the spoil. The place in which they were now +gloating over their crime-bought wealth appeared to be only about six +feet square, and to contain nothing but some large iron-bound chests, +the contents of which I could not even guess at, but I should say that +the place had been used as a kind of strong-room, and the only mode of +ingress and egress was evidently the trap-door through which I was now +looking. + +But what of the captain? + +Carefully, in the total darkness, I felt my way to his bunk, and put +my hand in. Yes, he was there, for I touched him. It was his leg I +touched. I slid my hand up towards his head, and my fingers rested upon +his cheek. It was warm, but, alas! there was a feeling about the flesh +that told me he was dead! + +At the awful discovery I could scarcely repress a wild, hysterical +shriek--a shriek which would have cost me my life, for the assassins +below would instantly have sprung up and murdered me with as little +compunction as they would kill a fowl or a rabbit. + +I clutched the side of the bunk for support; I could scarcely breathe! +I staggered; and stumbling, kicked against something which fell and +sounded like a knife. It made a noise on the cabin floor, and I heard +a voice say with an oath, “What’s that?” Then I saw the light move and +the shadows of the men sway about. + +They were coming up into the cabin! I was lost!! + +Stay; was there not time to reach the companion and fly on deck? + +No. + +My faintness vanished instantly, being put to flight by the new and +greater horror which presented itself. The discovery of the captain’s +death had unhinged me, but the approach of my own death braced my +nerves and spurred my limbs into immediate action; for without an +instant’s hesitation I sprang into the dead man’s berth and hid behind +the corpse, placing myself between the dead skipper and the side of +the vessel. The head and shoulders of the giant came upward through +the trap, but it was too dark for him to discern anything. Oh, for a +pistol! I could then have defied the villains, who would have been +caught like rats in a trap of their own setting. + +The head suddenly disappeared, but presently made its reappearance, and +the lantern was handed from below and stood on the cabin floor, while I +in my hiding-place quaked with fear, imagining that I should now for a +certainty be discovered and slaughtered. + +Here was a contrast to the cosy bar-parlour of the “Jolly Waggoner”; +but I could give but little thought even to my dear old dad, knowing +that my life hung on a mere thread. My eyes were riveted on the +gigantic head and shoulders emerging from the floor. The lantern came +first through the trap, and was swung aloft by the brawny arm of the +giant, who looked around beneath it. He gazed steadfastly at the face +of the dead man by my side to see if any movement was apparent. The +dead man hid and saved me, for the giant quietly pronounced one word, +“Rats!” and then he and the lantern vanished below again. + +Here was a dilemma for me to be in! What should I do? + +To lie where I was simply meant being discovered in a very short time. +What _could_ I do? + +If I attempted to get in the boat and lower myself down from the davits +I should be heard. Could I feel for the knife on the floor and stab the +rascals one by one as they ascended the ladder into the cabin? + +Bah! my very heart recoiled at the notion. I could not have killed them +even to save my own life. I thought of the sensation of feeling the +knife drive through the flesh and jar upon the bones, and the spurt of +warm life-blood over my hand, and I shuddered at the idea. No, I was no +coward, but as a lad of fifteen I could not take a human life, even for +the sake of saving my own. With a pistol it might have been different, +a touch of the trigger and all would have been over; but to stab and +stab again--no, I could not do it. + +But stay, a bright idea struck me. Surely the trap-door had a bolt or +bolts! + +Out of the berth I immediately crept, over the silent form of the man +who in death had saved my life, and stole on tiptoe to the trap-door. +The villains below were jangling over the doling, and their noisy +altercation served to hide any little noise I made searching my way +across the cabin, which was in utter darkness. + +Joy! there were two bolts! + +I carefully felt the bolts to ascertain if they worked easily, and with +my fingers examined the staples to see if they were clear and strong. + +Yes, both were clear and in order. Then noiselessly and tremblingly I +lowered the lid and shot the bolts, and so expeditiously and quietly +was it done that had there been even less noise below, it is probable +that the men would scarcely have known the moment of their trapping, +though they would soon perceive the fact from the air becoming hot and +vitiated. + +Groping about I soon found the knife on the cabin floor, and sprang on +deck, noticing that the night had grown much darker, and sombre clouds +hid the moon; still there was plenty of light for me to see to lower +the boat. But now another fact arrested my attention, a startling fact: +there was smoke quietly curling up from the fo’castle. I rushed to +the hatch, but, looking down, could see nothing for the dense smoke; +on listening intently, however, I heard a faint crackling sound as of +burning wood. + +_The ship was on fire!_ + +Should I release the prisoners? + +No, that would never do, my life would be forfeited to my humanity +without a doubt. Probably they would break out of the strong-room long +before the fire reached so far aft, and although I had the only boat, +they would probably have sufficient time to rig up some kind of raft, +upon which they could remain safely till they were picked up and taken +into port by a passing trading vessel. + +I could imagine them being hanged at Newgate on my evidence! + +Keeping my eyes on the companion way, I popped into the galley, and +fished a huge junk of salt beef out of the boiler in which I had seen +the cook place it the night before, for the purpose of soaking it to +remove some of the super-abundant salt with which it was saturated. A +bucket of doubtfully clean water stood in a corner; I tasted it, and +found it was fresh, poured it into a large stone bottle, spilling half +of it in my hurry, rammed a dirty cloth into the neck by way of cork, +and put bottle and beef into the boat. + +I hastened to lower the jolly-boat from the davits, but before she +touched the water one of the falls jammed, the forward one luckily, +and, as I lowered away on the aft one, the stern rested in the water, +while the bows remained a couple of feet above it, in a dangerous +position. This is not at all an uncommon occurrence, but my nerves were +so shaken by the terrible ordeal I had passed through, that I fancied +I heard the noise of feet on deck, so seizing my knife I cut away +like a madman, making a dozen random cuts where one well-directed one +would have sufficed. The boat swung round before I could unhook the +other fall, and I was within an ace of meeting a watery grave when she +righted, and bumped against the brig’s black side. + +From the taffrail, as I swept past, depended a thin line, which I +mechanically clutched and held, but as the ship was going some three +knots an hour the boat rapidly dropped astern. I still held on as +fathom after fathom paid out over the taffrail, till quite twenty +fathoms hung in the water; then came a jerk, which threw me on my face, +but I still hung on, and made the end fast round the forward thwart, as +the other end was evidently fast on the _Ladybird_. + +I sat in the bows for what seemed like hours, knife in hand, ready to +cut myself adrift on the first signs of a human being appearing on +deck. I saw the moon set and the night grow inky dark, and the volume +of smoke from the fo’castle increase, and then I saw the glow of the +extending fire reflected on the sails, but no human form was visible. +Then I heard a crash and a subdued roar, and saw tongues of flame +shoot up above the deck, catching the foresail and setting it in a +blaze; then up and up it mounted till the whole suite of sails on the +foremast were ablaze, and as I sat there I remember thinking to myself +how pretty it looked. I felt secure, and my nerves were soothed by the +sight before me, and I looked on calmly from my seat in the bows at the +gallant ship, which from being my home had nearly become my tomb. Could +I but have looked at the men in the strong-room, then, come what might, +I am afraid I must have released them, for evidently they were still +prisoners, and my sympathetic heart would have been my body’s ruin. +I tried to find some mode for their release and my own safety, but +although I racked my brain, I could devise no practical plan; beside, +by this time they were probably suffocated. + +While thus cogitating, the flames took hold upon the sails of the +mizzen-mast, and they too were soon destroyed, leaving the yards and +masts blazing. The air grew hotter and hotter; the deck was in a +blaze, and great pieces of burning wood and tarry rope began to fall in +and around the boat, and although I wished to hang on to witness the +last of the _Ladybird_, I was at last compelled to cut the rope and +drop quietly astern, as the heat, smoke, and fiery drift had become +quite unbearable. + +The good ship was now alight from stem to stern, and without her sails +made very little progress through the water, but drifted gradually +before the faint breeze, so slowly, in fact, that with the paddles I +could manage to keep up with her. She presented a splendid appearance +as, clothed in fire, she rose and fell on the roll of the sea; her +reflection, mirrored in the waves, made the water glow with an +incandescent lustre that riveted my boyish attention as intently as the +finest pyrotechnic display could possibly have done. + +Day at last began to dawn, and when light fairly broke, I was alone +on the ocean; for the poor old hull with its stumpy black masts +swerved from side to side, and, with a sidelong movement, sank like a +tea-saucer, sending up, with a sudden puff, a great cloud of vapour, +and leaving many charred fragments floating in the swirling waters +where she disappeared. I pulled in all directions, to see if perchance +the bodies of any of the villainous trio might float to the surface, +but nothing met my eyes but broken and burnt wood, and the usual +flotsam from a scuttled vessel. + +And that was the last I ever saw of the good ship _Ladybird_. + +Now that should really be the end of my yarn, for I am not going to +tell you how I drifted about for three days, wet to the skin, and +unable to protect myself from the pouring rain; and I need not tell +you how I cut my raw salt beef in strips and washed it down with the +dirty water I had in the bottle. Suffice it to say that on the evening +of the third day I was picked up, more dead than alive, by a brig bound +to Rekiavick, in Iceland; and from thence was given a passage to Hull, +from which port I walked home to Yarmouth. + +When I quietly entered the bar of the “Jolly Waggoner,” I nearly +frightened my father out of his senses at my unexpected appearance. + +But to tell of that would make my yarn too long. + +What I want to wind up with is the proof of its truth; and this is how +I vouch for its accuracy, by quoting the following extract, taken from +the columns of the _Daily Telegraph_ (London). + +Look up that newspaper for Monday, January 15th, 1894, and on page 3, +near the bottom of the 6th column, you will find this paragraph:-- + +“A STRANGE DISCOVERY.--A Plymouth correspondent telegraphs that advices +have been received of the arrival in Galveston of the Norwegian barque +_Elsa Anderson_, having in tow the hull of an English-built brig, which +had apparently been burned at sea more than fifty years ago, and which +appeared on the surface of the ocean after a submarine disturbance +off the Faroe Islands. The hull of the strange derelict was covered +with sea-shells, but the hold and under decks contained very little +water. In the captain’s cabin were found several iron-bound chests, the +contents of which had been reduced to pulp except a leather bag, which +required an axe to open it. In it were guineas bearing date 1809, and +worth over £1000. There were also several watches and a stomacher of +pearls blackened and rendered valueless by the action of the water. +Three skeletons were also found, one of a man about seven feet high.” + +There, that is my yarn, and I may just add that my first experience of +the sea was my last, for my maiden voyage contained enough excitement +during its very brief duration to last for the term of my natural life. + +“What do you ask? How came the pearl stomacher and the watches in the +hands of the miscreants?” + +Well, that I must leave, for I did not see them in their possession, +but doubtless they were the proceeds of robberies ashore. + + + + +IV. + +INTRODUCTION TO “A VISITOR FROM MARS.” + + +The narrator of the following quaint story was a little man, very +soberly dressed, and very timid in his demeanour. He appeared to be +greatly in awe of his wife, of whom he spoke with due, or perhaps +I might say undue, humility and deference. If his habiliments were +sober, I am much afraid his habits were the reverse; his nose was very +rubicund, and its bright colouring contrasted oddly with his coat, once +black, but now tinged with a disreputable greenish hue. + +He sat in an awkward position on the very edge of the seat, acquiesced +in everything I said, and was of such a feeble, backboneless character, +that after he had consumed half a tumbler of whiskey at a gulp, I had +no trouble in hypnotizing him (without even asking his consent) as he +lolled back on the chair in a very drowsy condition. + +Slight hope was mine of eliciting anything like a story from this +intemperate little gentleman, and it was an agreeable surprise, +therefore, when he reeled off the following, which I will call “A +Visitor from Mars.” + + +A VISITOR FROM MARS. + +That a spirit could visit this earth from such a distant planet as +Mars, my wife would not believe for a moment, explain it how I would. + +She required a proof, and proof I could have given her had she only +attended to her household duties and kept my pockets in proper repair, +instead of prying into things that did not concern her; beside, was +not the verbal description of my shadowy visitor and his extraordinary +conversation sufficient to convince any one but an obstinate woman that +what I spoke was solid truth? + +Why should she imagine that the inordinately hot weather of the past +summer had had such a soporific effect upon me, that, in wooing +Morpheus, I simply _dreamed_ of my visitor? + +Why should she think that because I had my spirit flask with me during +my afternoon ramble that I----?--but allow me, my intelligent reader, +to lay my story before _you_, and I think you will bear me out that +there is a foundation in it. + +To begin at the beginning. + +It was a hot, dreamy day in the middle of August, and I was staying at +the old-fashioned, out-of-the-world, under-the-hill town of Minehead in +Somersetshire. The atmosphere being too hot for sitting indoors, and +the water much too clear for fishing, I thought I would take a stroll +to Horner Woods, which lie under the great hills, just this side of +Stoke Pero, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Dunkery Beacon, which +is precisely one-third of a mile high. + +Opening my umbrella and using it as a sunshade, I wandered listlessly +along the two or three miles which intervene between Minehead and my +haunt, and took a long time in reaching the recumbent tree upon which +I loved to sit and sketch or read. A more charming or solitary spot +cannot be found in all the West Country. + +The walk leads up a narrow valley, skirted on either side by hills +rising abruptly to a height of many hundred feet, culminating in the +giant Dunkery Beacon, whose bald head, as I have said, breaks the +horizon seventeen hundred feet above sea level. The feet of these giant +hills are clad in trees and underwood of such an impenetrable nature, +that as one walks in the valley and looks up the acclivities, one +can see but a few score yards, and then the mass of wood and foliage +becomes so black and dense that the eye cannot penetrate it. + +Of course, as in all western valleys, a bubbling, murmuring trout +stream flows through it towards the sea, into which it falls at the +pretty village of Porlock, some miles distant; and as it twists and +falls from and among the great boulders with which the bed of the +stream is thickly strewn, it is easy to fancy one hears persons +conversing at no great distance, so peculiar is the murmuring noise +of the waters. Perhaps the water has its familiar spirits! Why not? +We know that spirits and water are frequently very intimate with each +other, and produce much talk and idle chatter, and possibly they are +spirit voices that we hear, although we cannot make much sense of them. + +It was a fairy spot I had selected, and as I sat on my comfortable seat +on the mossy old fallen monarch of the woods, with my back resting +comfortably against a bough, which gave it the support of an arm-chair, +I could not help imagining that such a spot would just have suited +Robin Hood and his merry men. In fact, I amused myself by peopling the +glade in my imagination. + +There--under that great branching oak might rest several mighty casks +of ale, round which the men in Lincoln green would cluster, lying in +various picturesque attitudes, with their bows and arrows hanging +from the branches of surrounding trees, ready to be snatched down +at a moment’s notice in case of any alarm. There--where that patch +of yellow-green grass crept out from the withered oak, I would have +a party of dancers tripping it to pipe and tabour; and down yonder +precipitous path should come the lofty Little John, with a fine deer +across his broad shoulders; while in the arbour formed by those three +hawthorn trees, I could imagine the sturdy form and graceful figure of +Robin himself and the fair Maid Marian. Then Friar Tuck must be among +them; yes, he should have a large horn of ale and----thud!! + +“Why, where in the name of fortune came you from?” I cried, as a little +fat man in cassock and hood plumped down on the soft turf beside me. +“Have I the pleasure of addressing his reverence, Friar Tuck?” + +“Friar Tuck! No, my friend--never heard of that gentleman. _My_ name is +Friar Bacon.” + +“Friar Bacon!” I exclaimed. “Why, surely _you_ never had anything to do +with this jovial company--Robin Hood and his merry men?” + +[Illustration: “Just place your hand upon my breast.”--_p. 91._] + +But as I swept my arm round to give emphasis to my speech, I perceived, +to my astonishment, that nought but trees and rocks met my view on +every side, my foresters had vanished, and I found myself in the +presence of a short, stout, rubicund monk, who should have been dust +these six hundred years. + +“Bacon,” I murmured, looking doubtingly at my visitor; “why, how is it +possible that you, who died, if my memory serves me rightly, ere the +close of the thirteenth century, can be here before me at the end of +the nineteenth? You are joking with me, my friend.” + +“Oh no,” replied my visitor, “it is extremely simple. You must know +that I, with many other learned men, have formed a scientific colony, +so to speak, in the planet Mars. We have many among us known to you by +repute. St. Dunstan, Newton, Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, +Euclid, and many others, are of our company, and right harmoniously we +live together. Live, I say, but of course you will understand I mean +exist, for we have for many ages passed from the flesh, and are now +simply etherealized bodies, or, if you will, spirits! + +“You would ask how came we in Mars? + +“Well, let it suffice if I inform you, that by the sanction of the +Great Spirit, we, Advancers of Mankind, are allowed a special parole, +as a recompense for our toil on earth, and there in Mars we exist, +instead of perambulating this dense earth of yours, in a spirit form, +till we are required ‘At the Last.’ + +“Just place your hand upon my breast.” + +I did so, but my fingers meeting no resistance, I extended my arm, and +could see my hand emerge beyond the figure as the jolly friar remarked: + +“There, you see, I am pure spirit, double distilled, and I trust highly +rectified. + +“Well,” he continued, “I have not long to stay, so I will have a short +chat with you, and then, heigh presto! back to my cosy planet. You see +it is only once in two years we get very close to your earth, that is, +at a certain time we are only 35 millions of miles from you, whilst at +another time we are as much as 244 millions of miles away. Therefore +as we travel fast I must not linger long, or I shall be late at our +monthly scientific meeting, which takes place to-morrow.” + +I could not refrain from asking him what the planet Mars was like, and +he very civilly informed me that it was prettier than the earth, and +its climate milder; “beside which,” said he-- + +“The genial seasons are longer; we have a spring of 192 days, and a +summer of 180; whilst the autumn is of 150, and the winter of 147 days’ +duration only. A longish year, as you will observe, nearly 690 days; +but then we are so busy and so happy that we do not notice the flight +of time. Time is an object to you mortals, but we philosophers totally +disregard it. If you visited our planet you would find one thing in +particular very trying to you in your present gross form--we have no +atmosphere to speak of. + +“We neither eat, drink, nor sleep; require no clothing, that is no +_renewal_ of clothing, for this cassock is the shade of the last +costume I wore when on earth, and will probably last me till the Crack +of Doom; consequently we are enabled to employ the whole of our time in +scientific research.” + +“Might I venture to inquire into the nature of your scientific +studies?” I timidly inquired. + +“Why certainly,” he replied, rubbing his forehead reflectively; and as +he drew his hand across the noble expanse of his frontal bone, I could +see a rush of little sparks follow his shadowy fingers. This set me +to gaze more intently at his phenomenal person, and as I did so I was +surprised to find that I could see quite through what should have been +the frontal bone, and there, in the cavity of the cranium, I beheld his +brain at work thinking. It simply appeared like revolving smoke curling +this way and that, and taking fantastic forms; halting, and then moving +on again in complex but orderly movement. + +Seeing my utter astonishment, he good-naturedly enlightened me as to +the strange appearance. + +“The brain,” said he, “is _the man_, it never dies, and in our case +is the only part which does not entirely become spirit, that is, +_transparent_ spirit. It always remains a foggy, cloudy kind of ether, +visible to mortals; and they are constantly walking through and sitting +surrounded by it, though they know it not. + +“You probably do not believe in ghosts or spirits, yet you are +surrounded by them day and night, and when, by a variety of accidental +causes, one becomes materialized you see it, and immediately write off +to a newspaper about it as something wonderful. Ha! ha! If I could +only open your eyes and show you the number of ghosts in this silent +and solitary spot you would scarcely believe your eyes; there are +thousands!” + +Then looking at me with his peculiar, luminous eyes he inquired, “Did +you ever notice a kind of mist floating over graveyards during certain +days of damp, muggy weather?” + +“Yes,” I replied, “often; but what of that?” + +“What of that!--why,” continued Bacon, “that is the spirit, the soul, +_the brain_ of disembodied mortals, which floats till the Final Day +just above the ground, the rock, the sea, or wherever the body was +buried.” + +I marvelled at this, whereupon my communicative friend went further, +and said:-- + +“Do you not know that these spirits may be conversed with by mortals? +You have a certain control over electricity, you have the phonograph, +the electrophone, and the telephone--trifles in comparison to what we +have invented in Mars--but with these you have only to proceed in this +way. You simply----” + +But ere he uttered another word a wind swept through the wood with a +crackling sound, at which the Friar bowed his head and quietly uttered +the words “I obey!” It was evident by his uneasy movements and facial +expression that he had been stayed from enlightening me further by some +unseen spirits, so, to turn the subject, I said:-- + +“What is there appertaining to this earth in which we might advance our +knowledge, by invention or otherwise?” + +The little monk looked at me with a mirthful face, putting his jolly +head on one side, and with a look in his eyes as if he would say, +“Don’t you wish you may pump me?” said:-- + +“I must tell you plainly, that by our bond we are forbidden to tell +to mortals the secrets we possess, but I will just give you a little +idea or two that you may experimentalize upon, and see what you are +clever enough to make of notions that _we_ have already established as +practical scientific facts. + +“Electricity with you is only in its infancy, it is but just born--yet +you have taken several steps in the right direction; you have the +phonograph, the electrophone, and the telephone, all of which are +very well in their way, but you must go further with them. If you are +clever enough you can make the phonograph convey _thought_ as well as +speech, so that you and I, being a mile apart, could, with the help +of an improved phonograph, convey our _thoughts_ to each other. With +a certain instrument conversation with departed spirits might be held +and the very secrets of the grave revealed, and the great----” But here +the wind again sighed through the valley, and the monk again bowed and +meekly crossed himself, having evidently ventured too far beyond the +bounds of his suggestions. + +“The electrophone,” said he, “may easily be improved, so that in +combination with a certain machine which I may tell you is _on the eve +of being invented_ in America, will not only give you the voice of the +person speaking at a distance, but also his or her likeness with every +line of the features expressing the individuality of the person under +notice. + +“Electricians of the Nineteenth Century! why, you have only reached +‘A’ in the alphabet of electrical possibilities. How absurd of you to +use horseflesh to draw loads, and raise or lower heavy masses, and to +use steam--noisy, bulky steam--for locomotives and marine engines, and +to write with ink and even use hand-power to sew with, when everything +could be done quicker, easier, cheaper, and cleaner by the _touchstone +of all future motion_--electricity! + +“There, get along, ye mortals of to-day!” and the little man rolled +about with laughter, “ye laggards, why, if half-a-dozen of our company +in Mars had had _your_ scientific instruments and delicate machinery +in _our_ day we should have made an entirely different world of this +earth. Why, my old friend Archimedes would have obtained a fulcrum +for his lever long before now, and if no one had prevented him would +have attempted to hurl the earth right out of the planetary system +into space. Oh, he is even now a most mischievous fellow, though you +would not think it to look at him; his ambition is boundless, and his +scientific pranks are at times very reprehensible. Only last week, +just for the fun of the thing, he blew Sir Isaac Newton nearly to the +sun, and when the poor fellow returned to Mars after several days’ +absence we scarcely knew him, he had become so sunburnt with his visit +to the suburbs of the great luminary. It was beyond a joke, you know.” +Then the little man went off into another paroxysm of laughter at the +thought of poor Sir Isaac’s burnt spirit-face. + +“What,” queried I, “can you tell me of ships and navigation? Have we +reached the limit of speed in the merchant service, and the zenith of +offensive and defensive power in the Navy?” + +These questions sent the little man off into a fresh fit of laughter, +and he looked at me as much as to say, “You ignoramus, you type of +mortal feebleness and conceit.” Presently having calmed down he +proceeded:-- + +“I must tell you that Nelson is with us in spirit, and has turned out +a capital inventor. He follows eagerly all that takes place, navally, +in the little dots on the globe called Great Britain, and you will +scarcely believe it when I tell you, that he has invented a _wooden_ +ship that would in one brief hour destroy your entire navy.” + +“How could it be done?” said I. + +“Ah! there you are! I cannot _tell_ you, I can only give you an idea. +My lord’s ship is of wood, compressed india-rubber, and cork! The only +thing you have to discover is how to place your caoutchouc so that when +a shot is fired at your ship it passes clean through it and the hole +immediately closes, just as the water closes after it is cloven by the +ship’s hull. Firing at Nelson’s ship would have the same effect as if +you thrust your walking-stick through me or through your own shadow.” + +“But,” I asked eagerly, “how would he destroy our navy in an hour?” + +“Why,” said the Friar, “he and Sir Humphrey Davy have invented an +explosive of such vast power, that a single pound weight would destroy +the strongest ironclad afloat, and he can fire it from an ordinary +shoulder gun, with which he delights to practise at the mountains of +Mars. He can chip a thousand-ton mountain top off with a single shot; +we have to stop him at it, for he quite spoils the scenery, and alters +it so completely that we are in danger of losing ourselves. He calls +his destructive agent ‘infernite,’ and it really is quite diabolical.” + +“And of speed in merchant vessels,” I remarked, “what of that?” + +“There you are all wrong again, you have gone right off the proper +path. Why, your passenger vessels actually float on the _surface_ of +the sea, instead of fathoms below it; consequently you have both wind +and waves to contend with, which is absurdly and palpably wrong to any +one who gives the least reflection to the matter. + +“Set your inventive faculties to work, control and compress your +air--by the way, see that you get it pure, sea air is always best and +safest--sink your hermetically-sealed ship by hydraulic arrangements, +pitch your great thumping steam monsters overboard, and propel your +vessel with civilized and cleanly electric force, and there you are! +America in twenty-four hours! India in three days! China in five! and +Australia in a week!! + +“This speed should have been attained years since; but your engineers +are so in love with great smoky furnaces, steel monsters, and grimy +coal and grease, that it will take some time before they get off with +the ugly old love (steam) and on with the elegant new one (electric +force).” + +I nodded approval, and put another query. “Can we do anything more to +improve the locomotive engine both as to safety and speed? Of course +I gather from what you have just said that electricity could be made +to take the place of steam, and then we should get a much quicker and +safer service of trains than at present.” + +“Quicker service of trains?” he echoed, and looked at me in feigned +amazement. “Trains and locomotives, did you say? Why, my dear friend, +you astonish me. To improve your service, gather up all your network +of iron rails, but leave your stations intact for the present, and +pitch both the rails and the horrid shrieking engines into the midst +of the Atlantic, not into the North Sea, for that is so shallow that +the immense pile of old iron would cause an obstruction to submarine +navigation, and quite spoil the fishing-ground, though it would be an +excellent iron tonic to the fish. + +“Then, having done that, invent a neat little electric aërostat--it +can and has been done by us--and simply fly from point to point, +from station to station if you will, noiselessly and expeditiously. +Edinburgh or Dublin in three hours, or St. Petersburg in ten, would be +a fair speed. What are they made of, do you say? Well, there is that +bothering bond that seals my lips, or I would willingly make a sketch +and give you a specification with pleasure. + +“You know that certain chemicals produce certain gases. Gas is a power: +it may be converted into a motive power. Do you follow?” + +I bowed. + +“For the fabric: do you know that six goose quills will support a +man?--if not, I can assure you they will; there is lightness and +strength for you! What can, with equal economy, be beaten thinner or is +lighter than aluminium?--a new metal with you, I find. For propelling +mechanism, study the wing of the swift-flying birds, created by our +Great Spirit; you cannot _improve_ on that, but you can modify and +adapt it to your particular purpose.” + +Then casting his eye upon my umbrella, which was lying open beside me +(for I had used it to keep the sun off), he bade me observe its form, +which I did. + +“In that worm-produced fabric,” said he, pointing to the silk shade, +“you have the form of the best sustainer (parachute) that even we have +yet discovered. There! I have mentioned your principal materials, now +set to work, and do not longer disfigure your beautiful islands with +iron webs, rabbit burrows, and crawling beetles, for such, I am told, +your railway systems appear to the inhabitants of your satellite the +Moon, who have very powerful telescopes, and are fond of gazing at +their big brother the Earth. + +“Really, when I come to reflect upon the condition of you mortals, your +whole system seems strange; here, six centuries after I have left the +earth, you are actually eating and drinking just as when I was among +you (and I was no mean connoisseur of a bottle of Sack or Malmsey), +and, consequently, you are always ill and ailing. It therefore follows, +as a matter of course, that half of you die before there is any +necessity for you to do so. + +“For the first thousand or two years after the Creation, people knew +what was good for them, and partook of everything fresh and good, and +lived for centuries; but now it appears to me that you have a system in +vogue among you called adulteration, by which one half of the community +seeks to partially poison the other half, simply to gather together as +many pieces of gold as they can hoard in a few years, and when they die +they leave these gold coins to some one else to scatter to the four +winds and the Evil One, for their so-called amusement. All very nice, +I dare say, but why do you not do as I did--work, and discover the +Philosopher’s Stone and Elixir Vitæ! Then, having discovered them, you +could be as rich as you pleased, and live as long as you had any desire +to.” + +“Interrupting you,” I ventured, “would it be against your bond to +impart to me, a mortal, the secret of those two great discoveries you +claim to have made when on earth? Would you be induced by anything I +could offer you, or do for you, to divulge the component parts of your +Elixir Vitæ?” + +The jolly little man laughed till his sides vibrated like a +blanc-mange, at the very idea of _my_ being able to do anything +for _him_, or offer him any equivalent for his priceless secret of +continued life. + +“Ha! ha! Ho! ho! My friend, you would be the death of me if it were +possible to kill a spirit; I declare I feel quite a curious feeling +just where my ribs ought to be, by indulging in such hearty laughter as +I have not experienced for quite a century. + +“My friend, I will give you the recipe for the Elixir of Life with +pleasure, as it was my own discovery _previous_ to my death, so that +I may divulge it to any one I choose. The ingredients are so simple +that it is a wonder scores of alchemists did not discover it as I did, +but doubtless it was the simplicity of the various items that caused +them to miss the mark. They searched for curious and complex mixtures, +for crystals and ores, powders and nostrums, distillations and subtle +gases, and other things of a complex nature, when the real articles +were right under their very noses, and _in everyday use_! + +“Here is the solution to the buried secret; for buried it was when they +laid me in the grave six centuries agone, for I told it to no man, nor +did I take advantage of it to prolong my own life, as I had worked so +hard that I longed for a thorough rest, and am now enjoying it, for we +spirits never tire. + +“Take one ounce of acetic acid, it is a preventive of frivolity; one +pound of pure alcohol, which gives spirit and vigour whenever used; +of laudanum three drams, as a soporific giving a quiet and steady +demeanour; and add two drams of ground cloves, for spice is very +preserving to the body. + +“Next you add three pints of distilled water, which is a very cleansing +agent, and with it put in a few twigs of birch, which is a capital +corrective, and every man requires somewhat of the kind at times. + +“Then you take a few--but I am sure you will forget all these things, +so, if you will lend me a piece of paper and a pencil (which are things +we lacked in our day), I will write down the various ingredients and +quantities for you, and you can get them made up at any chemist’s; here +are twenty-seven ingredients in all, each good for something; miss +one, and you spoil the harmony of the whole, and the prescription is +useless. Everything must be absolutely free from adulteration, or only +a partial success will be the result.” + +Then for a quarter of an hour he scribbled away, occasionally pausing, +and cocking his head upon one side to recollect things which he had +stored in his busy memory centuries ago. + +His smoky brain revolved at a great rate as I watched him write the +formula. + +“There,” said he at last, as he handed me the wonderful secret, which +was to make me live to see ships float under water, people fly through +the air, and electricity the great motive power of the world, “I think +you will find that correct, and I shall be glad to meet you here this +day one hundred years hence, to see how matters are going with you. By +the way, what is the time?” + +I now perceived that it was grown quite dark, and the stars were +twinkling through the trees, a fact which I had not before noted, so +absorbed had I been with the strange conversation of my visitor. + +I looked at my watch. + +“It is five minutes past ten o’clock,” I said. + +“Goodness me!” said the friar; “how I shall have to hurry. I should +have left at seven o’clock, as I am due at Mars not later than +midnight, or I forfeit my liberty for one generation; and thirty years +without a fly to some planet or other is no joke. Ta, ta!” + +And as I looked at my jolly friend he scared me by suddenly becoming +perfectly incandescent; he glowed for an instant like a furnace at +white heat, then with a whizz and a flash he was gone so quickly that +the eye could only follow him for a trice, and then he disappeared +into space; at least his bodily form disappeared by apparently +transforming itself into a star, which grew smaller and less brilliant, +till it was entirely lost amid the myriads of others which studded the +sky. + +I smelt for brimstone, but there was not even a sign of it that I could +detect. + +I felt dizzy, and stiff, and stupid, but gathering my umbrella, books, +and flask together (the latter quite empty, by the by, possibly upset), +I made for Minehead, but found it a long and difficult walk. Sitting so +long in one position had cramped and affected my legs to such a degree, +that it was with much meandering and uncertainty that I reached my +apartments near the little pier. + +My wife, good soul, was waiting up for me, and as I entered she pointed +to the clock, which was then striking twelve. + +Thinking of Friar Bacon, I exclaimed half aloud--“I wonder if he +reached home in time? What a flight, thirty-five million miles in less +than three hours!” + +At this my wife shook her head, and remarked that bed was the best +place for me; and as she kindly assisted me to undress, I did not +contradict her. + +When I awoke next morning I felt in a very unsettled state of mind, and +collecting my wandered senses, I endeavoured to account to my wife for +my absence of the previous day, by telling her of my adventure with the +monk in Horner Woods. She was moved when I told her that the paper in +my waistcoat pocket would _prove_ what I asserted to be true. + +“Kindly feel in the right-hand pocket of my waistcoat, get out the +paper, and read for yourself,” I remarked quietly but triumphantly. + +She felt as directed. + +Nothing was there save a large hole! + +I had lost the paper; and with it my character for veracity and the +knowledge of “How to Live for Ever” into the bargain. + + +AFTER CONCLUSION OF STORY. + +I hardly like to say it, but I verily believe my guest had been +drinking heavily, and that he was suffering from _delirium tremens_, +or, as it is commonly called for conciseness, “the blues”; anyway, when +he left the caravan he was mumbling to himself, casting furtive glances +to right and left, and gesticulating very much as he walked down the +road. I am afraid I did the poor man a great wrong in giving him so +much raw spirit; but then I console myself with the knowledge that I +was only indirectly to blame, having merely placed the decanter upon +the table, as I would for any other visitor, and expressed a wish that +he would help himself; with which suggestion he complied by diminishing +my spirit store more rapidly than I had intended. The following day I +sent him a pamphlet upon temperance, as a set-off against my ill-timed +hospitality, and trust that he read it with profit. + +My guest was such a confirmed believer in spirits that he would have +made a capital medium for any professional spiritualist. He was +familiar with almost every spirit nameable, and had been at one time or +other possessed of them all, knowing where to find both the best and +the worst of them. + + + + +V. + +INTRODUCTION TO “BARBE ROUGE.” + + +The gentleman to whom I am indebted for the story of the old pirate, +“Barbe Rouge,” is now a well-known artist and author, and as I knew him +to be the hero of several adventures, I was anxious to obtain a story +from him. Having gained an introduction to him, I put myself in his way +when passing through Norwich. After a long chat, he expressed a wish to +inspect my caravan, which I had left at Thorpe, the prettiest village +in Norfolk, so we strolled down to it together. + +Being of a roving and adventurous disposition, he showed great delight +at my house on wheels and its comfortable internal arrangements, and +having friends at Lynn whom he wished to visit, he begged to be allowed +to accompany me on my journey as far as the borders of the county. I +readily acquiesced, and found him such a companionable fellow, that our +roundabout journey to Lynn--distant some fifty miles by the nearest +road from Norwich--actually took us _three weeks_ to accomplish. My +comrade was delighted with the gipsy life, and but that his leisure +time was at an end, he would have accompanied me further on my +progress through the fens of Lincolnshire. + +We met with several adventures while we were together, one of which I +must relate. + +Harry Nilford (such was my friend’s name) strolled out one evening to +indulge in a bath, while I stayed in to cook the supper, it being my +day for _chef_ duty; and as we were camped within a mile of the sea, +between Blakeney and Morston, I expected him back in about an hour +or rather more, but it was upwards of two hours before he returned, +looking very excited. He had taken my gun with him, thinking it +very probable that he might come across a stray rabbit for the pot, +and I naturally inferred, from his sparkling eyes, that he had been +successful in his quest. + +“What do you think I’ve shot, old fellow?” + +“Rabbits?” + +“No; guess again. Something bigger and rarer.” + +“Well, then, a hare?” + +“No--bigger and rarer still,” said he, smiling at my puzzled look. + +I guessed all kinds of things, but was every time wrong, so I asked the +question-- + +“Is it fish, fowl, or fur?” I have heard of large fish being shot, so +included it in my query. + +“Well,” said my friend, “it is fur, and I might almost say fish also, +for it is a splendid swimmer.” + +I puzzled over the riddle for some time, and then, after having failed +in guessing an otter, gave it up as something beyond me. + +“Then if you cannot guess, or even get near it, I will tell you. It +was _a seal_--a very rare visitor to this coast indeed, in fact, such +a thing has not been seen for many years along the hundred miles of +coast which bounds the county of Norfolk.” + +He had shot the seal as it flippered itself along the yielding sand, +upon which it had been basking, to make its escape to the sea. Both +barrels, however, did not suffice to kill it, and the animal got to the +water, and would have made its escape, although severely wounded, had +not Harry rushed into the sea and given the soft-eyed seal its quietus +with the butt of the gun. + +It was too heavy for him to bring away, and was, moreover, covered with +blood, so he dug a shallow trench in the sand, and placing the body in +it, covered it up and left it. + +We arranged to go down to the beach early in the morning and bring our +prize back in triumph; accordingly, about seven o’clock next day, we +went, but to our astonishment the seal was gone! + +Could it have revived and made its escape? + +We searched about for signs. + +We noticed footmarks leading down to the water’s edge, and also the +prints of a dog’s paws in the sand, and, lower down still, we saw where +the keel of a boat had cut its way when rowed ashore and beached. + +We put these things together, and came to the conclusion that my friend +had been watched and the seal stolen after his departure. Anyway it +was gone; and although we inquired at both Blakeney and Morston, and +offered a reward, we could learn no tidings of the missing animal. + +We went sorrowfully on our way, and two days after were at Burnham +Thorpe (Nelson’s birthplace), when we heard at the village inn of a +hairy mermaid being exhibited at Brancaster. We took no notice of the +news but when we reached the village with a Roman name, we found the +people quite excited over the wonderful mermaid, and with numerous +other visitors paid our pennies to go in and see the curiosity--when +behold, it was Harry’s seal! + +Of course Harry demanded it, but the men would not give it up, and as +Brancaster does not contain a policeman, force had to be resorted to. +My friend was a big, strong fellow, and I being scarcely less in size +or strength, we made a good fight of it, and placed the seal in my +van and made off. The villagers became very abusive and threatening, +and many missiles were thrown at us, but we got away as quickly as +possible, I handling the reins, and Harry keeping off the crowd with a +gun in one hand and a whip, which he used pretty freely, in the other. + +We had three panes of glass broken, sundry cuts and bruises, and a +black eye, which latter fell to my lot, on our side. We could not quite +tell the number of the evening’s casualties; all we knew was that more +than one bloody nose and contused cheek were to be seen. + +The seal was skinned and dressed in Lynn, and Harry had a waistcoat +made for himself, and a fine lappet cap for me, which has been a great +comfort in winter travelling, when the easterly winds are blowing. + +The following story of “Barbe Rouge” he kindly touched up, at my +request, after I had written it, as I received it from his lips while +in a mesmeric state, for, being a story within a story, it is rather +difficult of interpretation. The case stands thus: “Barbe Rouge,” a +piratical sea dog of the eighteenth century, enacted a tragedy, of +which he left a record, which record, a hundred odd years later, was +found by my friend, Harry Nilford, on the Isle of Jethou, one of the +Channel Isles. The story of the tragedy he committed to memory, and in +a hypnotic state recounted to me.[A] Being a complex story I have, as I +mention above, requested him to touch it up here and there. This he has +done with the following result. + + [A] Those of my readers who would like to read the adventures of Harry + Nilford should obtain _Jethou, or Crusoe Life in the Channel Isles_, + published by Messrs. Jarrold and Sons, 10 and 11, Warwick Lane, + London, E.C. + + +BARBE ROUGE. + +Visitors to Guernsey will remember that opposite the entrance to the +Harbour of St. Peter Port, at a distance of about three miles, lies a +curiously-shaped island called Jethou, which rises from the sea in a +graceful curve, and looks at first sight like an immense turtle, or a +huge floating dish-cover. It is a small island, probably not more than +a third of a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, but is so steep, +that in the centre it reaches an altitude approaching three hundred +feet. + +It is a solid granite island, covered in most parts with bracken and +furze, which makes it a very paradise for the rabbits with which it +abounds. There are two small stone-built houses upon it, around one of +which is a prolific fruit and vegetable garden. There are out-buildings +attached, and at a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile from the +white house is an apology for a harbour. + +It is a remarkably nice place for a holiday--sunny, healthy, quiet, and +not too far from aid in case of sickness or accident; but it is not a +resort for the general public, being private property. + +It was on this island that in 186-- a young Norfolk gentleman elected +to spend twelve months as a recluse, or as he was pleased to term it--a +Crusoe. + +He went to the island for two reasons; one of which was the +anticipation of a happy and adventurous time, and the other the winning +of a wager (that he would not leave the island before twelve months had +expired). In neither object was he disappointed. + +While papering the walls of his little sitting-room, he had the good +fortune to find a parchment, hidden away in a niche in the wall, which +had hitherto been concealed by the thick covering of wall-paper, of +which he peeled off no less than five layers. He had read Edgar Allen +Poe’s story of “The Golden Beetle,” and finding a parchment covered +with hieroglyphics, he surmised that if he could only decipher it there +might be as thrilling a sequel as followed on the solution of the +cryptogram in Poe’s story. + +Unfortunately he was not so clever as the man in the story, and +failed--unassisted--in discovering the secret of the parchment. + +The puzzling document was a list of some sort which the finder could +not understand, as it was in French; beneath it was a drawing of a +square with a human skull in the centre, from which radiated lines +ending in certain letters, and having figures upon the rays. + +The solution was discovered, however, after the young Crusoe had been +on the island for upwards of twelve months (he stayed eighteen months +in all), and in a most unexpected manner. + +Being a Crusoe, it was not at all a surprising matter that he should +have a man Friday, and one day during a storm a Friday really did +appear, in the form of a French sailor, whose little vessel was wrecked +upon the hostile granite shores of Jethou. The man saved, the sole +survivor of a crew of four, was at once christened Monday, from the day +on which he was saved. This man (Alec Ducas) spoke very fair English, +and the two young men soon became fast friends. + +One day the young Englishman, whose name was Harry Nilford, bethought +him of his curious parchment, and producing it from his box, asked his +friend if he could decipher it. The first part of the document was +quickly read, and no doubt astonished the finder. It was as follows-- + +“THIS IS THE LAST WILL of Jean Tussaud (sometimes known as Barbe +Rouge), Master Mariner, of C----. + +“The person who is lucky enough to find my treasure-house, I hereby +declare to be my heir, and whatsoever he finds shall be his, and for +his sole benefit. + +“My chief mate, William Trefry, a Cornishman, wished to become my heir +before my death, but we could not agree upon that point, although +I gave him possession of my _petites fées_ (little fairies) and a +key, also a valuable knife, for an inheritance. The bearings of my +treasure-house are these.” + +Then followed the curious drawing with the death’s-head centre, +followed by the words--“The lucky one will find the following property.” + +Here followed a long list of the articles stowed away; winding up with +the words--“and my box of pretty _petites fées_.” + + * * * * * + + “I leave Jethou to-night to make a voyage to the West Indies, to see + what business can be done there. I leave this paper so that, should + I never return, the goods I have so industriously, and at such risk, + gathered together, may be of service to the person who may have skill + enough to discover their whereabouts. + + “Signed, JEAN TUSSAUD (Barbe Rouge), + “_February 19, 17--_.” + +For weeks the two young men puzzled their wits over the document; +but to abbreviate this narrative,[B] they ultimately succeeded in +discovering the place of concealment. + + [B] The unravelling of the enigma may be found in _Jethou_. + +It was in the centre of the garden, at the rear of the house, and after +great toil in digging they came upon the skeleton of a man, and were +about to fill up the large hole they had made, imagining, in their +horror, that they had come upon a grave instead of a treasure-house, +when one of them saw a glittering something protruding from the sternum +of the skeleton, which proved to be the jewelled haft of a dagger, +which had undoubtedly given the death-blow to the tenant of the grave, +being driven in with immense force, up to the hilt, quite through the +breast-bone. Clearing the bony relic, they found, suspended around the +neck, by a length of silver chain, which was much oxidized, a couple of +rusty keys. + +This discovery led them to connect the skeleton with the mate, Trefry, +mentioned in the document, and they continued their search, which +was rewarded by their finding a large collection of miscellaneous +articles, among which were numerous weapons, bundles of gold lace, +several cups of the same metal, packages of once costly clothing and +fine linen (now mouldering with age), copes, chasubles, and a beautiful +jewelled mitre wrapped in a bullock’s hide, boots, sashes, etc. + +Beneath all these, in a hollowed space, was a chest securely padlocked, +which was duly hoisted out and burst open, and in it were discovered +seventeen bags, each containing a hundred Spanish doubloons, three +parchment books, and last, but far from least, a small golden casket of +exquisite workmanship, filled quite full of precious stones in their +natural, rough state, except a very few which were cut and polished. +In all they would have filled a pint measure. These were Barbe Rouge’s +_petites fées_--his little fairies. + + * * * * * + +Now what I have recounted so far is a kind of prologue to what +follows. The purport of my story is to show how the skeleton came in +the treasure vault, which was opened by our good friends, Nilford and +Ducas, with whom, however, we have nothing further to do. + +I must point out that the following narrative is what I have gathered +from the pages of one of the three books found in “Barbe Rouge’s” +chest, two of them being logs of his voyages (and _such_ voyages), and +the third a kind of private diary. I have pieced together the somewhat +disconnected jottings of Red Beard into the following story, drawing +_slightly_ on my imagination to fill in the gaps. + + * * * * * + +On the morning of April 28, 175--, the vessel owned and commanded by +“Barbe Rouge,” called _La Chauve-souris_, was lying quietly at anchor +in the little haven at the back of the lofty pinnacle of rocks known +as La Creviçhon, for she was to sail on the morrow, or the second day +at latest, for a cruise in the West Indies. She was a smart little +schooner, mounting ten guns, and carried the large complement of +thirty-eight men, for she was what the French Government were pleased +to call a licensed privateer, although, if public report went for +anything, she might with more propriety have been stigmatized as +something with a much more ugly name. Whatever people might call her +was no concern of Jean Tussaud (which was Barbe Rouge’s real name), +_he_ called her a privateer, and so we also will call her, for the word +_pirate_ is not at all a nice-sounding word. + +She had some weeks previously returned from a very prosperous cruise +in the Mediterranean, and although she came home short-handed, to +the extent of eight men, she brought with her, as some sort of human +equivalent, two very fine women, both of whom were young and handsome. + +One was a fair Circassian damsel called Retté, and her companion, an +English girl named Mary Whitford. These fair ones Barbe Rouge had +taken from an Algerian vessel which he intercepted on her voyage from +Cyprus to Dargelli, whither the girls were being conveyed to the sheik +Obdurrah, as reinforcements for his harem. How the girl Mary Whitford +could thus be sold Tussaud’s book says not; but he captured her, and +brought her and Retté to Jethou, where he took them ashore to his stone +house, much to the regret of William Trefry, the mate, who had fallen +greatly in love with Mary during the voyage home. Barbe Rouge saw what +was in the wind, and watched the couple unnoticed, but with a hawky, +jealous eye. + +Trefry feared his skipper, for he had seen him perform cruel deeds that +made the boldest heart on board tremble, and because Barbe Rouge’s +giant form possessed the strength of two men; so, fearing any personal +encounter, he resolved by stratagem to carry out a scheme for Mary’s +release which he had been elaborating during the last few days of the +voyage. + +He foresaw that the two girls would be immediately taken ashore on +the arrival of _La Chauve-souris_ at Jethou, and with this in view +he arranged two or three plots with Mary, by which they might escape +together to Guernsey; they also arranged a set of private signals with +which to communicate with each other. + +As anticipated, an hour after reaching the haven of Jethou, Mary +and Retté were taken ashore, and, alas for their hopes, the girls +were quartered in a room which did _not_ overlook the haven; and +furthermore, they were only allowed out for exercise after dusk, when +their jealous protector, Barbe Rouge, accompanied them for a walk round +the island. + +Thus were their signals of no more avail than a wink in the dark. + +The days sped rapidly; boats went to and from St. Peter Port bringing +stores and taking various goods for sale. Half-a-dozen carpenters and +a smith, besides the sailmaker and others, were busy with the ship’s +hull and rigging, refitting and altering, repairing and renewing all +kinds of gear, and over these men was placed Trefry, to whom the whole +crew looked up as skipper during Barbe Rouge’s frequent and prolonged +absences ashore on Jethou. + +The young Englishman gnawed his very heart away in devising schemes +for Mary’s release, and his eyes grew weary with looking for the +preconcerted signals from her, but none ever appeared. + +Could she have forgotten him? + +Was it a case of “out of sight out of mind”? No, that could never +be, for the girl’s anxious desire was to escape, and reach her dear +old Yorkshire home, from which she had been absent nearly two years. +She had left it to take a trip on her uncle’s bark, _The Develin_, +from Whitby to Samos in the Grecian Archipelago, in company with her +brother, who was two years her senior. + +They reached Samos safely, but one morning, her uncle and brother +being ashore, two native boatmen came alongside, one of whom, in fair +English, said the old gentleman had sent them “to fetch Mary, to show +her some of the sights of the place.” Mary accordingly seated herself +in their boat, but the men took her to another port, a league up the +coast, and thus kidnapped her. + +As the days before sailing to the West grew fewer, Trefry became nearly +mad with his pent-up feelings; but in the presence of Barbe Rouge had +to dissemble and assume as calm a countenance and manner as he possibly +could, although at heart he could have wished the old pirate hung at +the end of his own gaff. + +Only two or three days intervened before the date of sailing, and his +very appetite forsook him, and he could not help glaring at the skipper +whenever they met; but Barbe Rouge, with an imperturbable countenance, +took no notice of the mate’s despair, although he well knew what was +passing in his heart; he saw the young fellow’s terrible struggle with +himself, and gloated over it. + +Trefry dared not make an open show of concern about Mary, as even at +the last moment there might arrive the opportunity for a rescue, so he +held his peace till the morning of April 28th. + +As the first grey streak of dawn appeared in the N.E. Trefry stepped on +deck and strained his eyes towards the stone house on shore. It was too +dark to discern anything in the form of a signal, but he looked ever +and anon, and to his great joy did not look in vain. + +He could scarce believe his eyes when he saw something appear out of +and above a chimney on the old house. It was but a wisp of rag, but it +was quite sufficient to denote its purpose as a signal, and Trefry knew +its meaning to be an urgent appeal for succour. + +One or two of the crew also saw it, and it soon became known to the +whole ship’s company that the girls were making signals for help; but, +though comments were many, no one dared take any action, for the crew +of _La Chauve-souris_ was, as often happens on privateers and suchlike +vessels, divided into little coteries, each afraid of, or watching the +actions of the others. + +Barbe Rouge had devotees numbering about twenty, while those whom +Trefry could rely upon to take his view of anything on the tapis, he +could count on the fingers of his two hands. + +Moreover only one day remained. What could he do? + +He thought over many schemes for liberating the girls, but could not +hit upon one likely to be successful; so, finding his own imaginative +faculties at fault, he called two or three of his more intimate cronies +together, and placed the case before them in a council in the captain’s +cabin, while one kept watch. + +Many suggestions were made, of various degrees of practical merit, some +indeed so sieve-like that they would not hold the water of common-sense +at all. Trefry soon found that, great burly brute as he was, Barbe +Rouge had a strong following of staunch men on board; men who loved the +skipper because their natures were coarse and rough, and who saw in him +the beau-ideal of brute strength, stature, and power to command: his +very courage and daring delighted them. Sentiment, and the wrongs of +others, were nothing to such as they. + +Trefry found that, all told, he could only count on eleven others +besides himself to help him in the contemplated carrying off of the two +girls; but, to better equalize the numbers, he determined, after dark, +to give leave to six or eight of the skipper’s staunchest men to take +the long-boat, and pull across to Guernsey for a spree. + +This was agreed to as part of the programme; and it was also agreed, +that at eleven o’clock that night he should go ashore alone to the +stone house, and bring off the girls, while his eleven comrades should +arm themselves (from the arm-chest, of which he had the key), and make +themselves masters of the ship while he was ashore. + +The day passed slowly by, and the shades of night at length fell, +draping its mantle of deepening blue over the pretty little island. + +At eleven o’clock Trefry, well armed, went ashore as arranged. + +The night was dark, for there was no moon, and calm, for there was but +little wind. + +Quietly he crept round the side of the house, and taking off his boots +went up the stone steps leading to the garden at the rear, where he +quickly became aware of a faint glow of light rising from behind a +tremendous mound of earth in the very centre of the garden. + +He paused and listened; then silently crept across the garden on all +fours to the mound, up which he as noiselessly climbed, and peeped +over. + +He beheld a great excavation several feet square, from which the light +came, and peering over the edge, he saw on the opposite side of the +wall of the hole, the shadow of Barbe Rouge’s great head and beard, +projected by the light of a lantern placed on this side of the pit. The +shadow moved but slightly, showing that the fiery skipper was deeply +engrossed in some task or other of a weird nature, or he would not have +chosen night for his work. + +Like a flash of light it entered Trefry’s brain that the old buccaneer +had killed the girls, or at least one of them, and was now hiding the +evidences of his guilt by burying the body in the garden. + +However, there _might_ still be a chance that they were alive; and not +to leave a stone unturned, he resolved, now that he knew Barbe Rouge +was in the hole, to go round the house and gently tap at each window, +to endeavour to obtain a response from those he was in quest of. This +idea he carried into effect, but without receiving any reply to his +tapping, and he again went to the mound and peeped over--Barbe Rouge +was still busy, as his shadow, bobbing about in the uncertain light of +the horn lantern, proved. + +Could it be possible that the skipper had left the door of the house +unlocked? He would see at all events, and back to the house he went. +Upon pressing the handle, to his great joy the door swung back, and he +quietly entered. For fear of being discovered, should Barbe Rouge enter +the doorway, he leaned a stick, which he found in the passage, against +the door on the inside, so that any one entering from without could not +fail to knock it down with a clatter upon the stone floor, and thus +give him warning. + +Carefully he searched each of the five rooms which the house contained, +breathing ever and anon the names of Mary and Retté, but when he came +to the last room, and found it empty, his feelings overcame him, and, +but for some wine which he discovered on a table, he would certainly +have fainted with horror, thinking that his Mary and her companion had +been cruelly murdered, and were now being buried by his captain, the +dreadful Barbe Rouge. + +More wine; and then he gradually grew into a frenzy, swearing that but +one task remained, which ere he left Jethou should be accomplished. + +This was to revenge the deaths of Mary and Retté by killing the monster +who was now sitting in the pit, which in another minute should be +his tomb. Burning with rage, so that he shook in every limb, he had +difficulty in calming his feelings sufficiently to accomplish his task +in an unfailing manner. + +He paused to calm his quivering nerves, and then went gently along the +passage, pistol in hand, to where he had left the broom-stick at the +door. It remained as he had left it; so he quietly leaned it against +the wall, and nervously began to open the door, for fear the giant’s +form might be about to enter. + +Inch by inch it opened and he peeped out. + +All was quiet. + +With his pistol still grasped tightly he made for the mound, intending +to shoot Barbe Rouge in his self-made grave, but before reaching +the spot, he fell prone over a large piece of granite rock; he lay +perfectly still, for fear Barbe Rouge should peep out of his hole to +see what had caused the noise. + +[Illustration: “Suddenly a heavy hand seized him from behind.”--_p. +121._] + +For some minutes he lay silent but alert; then, as the skipper did +not appear, he arose, returned his flintlock to his belt, and picked up +the huge stone at his feet. + +This he resolved should be the instrument of Barbe Rouge’s death--a +stone for a dog--reserve the bullet for a nobler foe! + +Up the bank of earth he staggered with his burden. Yes! Barbe Rouge was +still at work--he could see his white stocking cap and the shaggy red +locks beneath; so, pausing, he raised the mass of stone high above his +head, thinking to hurl it down with crushing force upon the cranium of +the monster below, when suddenly a heavy hand seized him from behind, +and the stone, losing its balance, fell from his grasp with a thud +into the hole. He gave one glance round, his last on this earth, for +his eyes met the infuriated orbs of Barbe Rouge himself, who, with a +stroke swift as sight, drove a long keen dagger deep into the young +Englishman’s breast. Without a groan he fell dead into the yawning gulf +before him. + + * * * * * + +With a chuckle at the success of his fiendish work, Barbe Rouge quietly +descended a short ladder into the great vault he had dug, and took out +a book from an iron-bound chest at the bottom, in which he calmly wrote +certain notes, stating that he had killed Trefry for endeavouring to +meddle with his “_petites fées_,” or little fairies, but whether he +referred to the two girls or the gems is not very evident. + +Trefry was a doomed man from the time he stepped ashore, as, through a +spy on board _La Chauve-souris_, Barbe Rouge was cognizant of all that +had taken place on board the schooner. He received information that +Trefry would come ashore between eleven and twelve, and had prepared a +ruse to deceive and place him at his mercy. + +He made a dummy head with a red tow wig and beard in imitation of +himself, and on the top placed his old white stocking cap. This little +device was fixed at the bottom of the excavation upon a cross pole +fastened to an upright. At the end of the cross pole which touched the +ground a live rabbit was fastened, that, moving about a foot from right +to left, the dummy head was made to oscillate. A lantern was so placed +as to throw a shadow of the head upon the side of the pit farthest from +the house, and the trap thus artfully baited caused the downfall of the +gallant young Cornishman, Trefry. + +Barbe Rouge signified his intention of leaving Jethou with his fair +ones next day for a voyage to the West Indies, and from a record in +a St. Peter Port document, we find that he actually did sail on May +1st, after giving a grand farewell entertainment to many of the good +townspeople of St. Peter Port on the previous evening. + +Thus we see that virtue is not always triumphant, and that every dog +has his day, including the somewhat numerous species known as the Sea +Dog. + + * * * * * + +After a year or two I met the adventurous Nilford again, when he +informed me that he had put my van quite in the shade by a novel idea +of his own. It appears that he was so struck with my mode of life that +he purchased an old gipsy-van, and rambled about in it for a week or +two together, just when the fit seized him. Then the idea occurred to +him of making a pair of boats, into which the wheels of his van were +fitted, and by decking the space fore and aft between the boats, he +went all over the Broads, and finally coasted it to Essex, whence he +had the good or ill luck to be blown over to Holland. As he has written +the history of his adventures, it is no business of mine further to +divulge them here, but will content myself with calling the reader’s +attention to a book entitled, _Afloat in a Gipsy Van_.[C] + + [C] Jarrold and Sons, 10 and 11, Warwick Lane, London, E.C. + + + + +VI. + +INTRODUCTION TO “ROBIN HOOD IN WINTER.” + + +I have somehow a knack of running against men who, without being +notable, have still something in their composition which makes them +conspicuous among their fellows. Such a man was he from whom I obtained +the following story; for it was told me first by my informant _vivâ +voce_, and afterwards corrected by him, with an ancient quill pen, +which had a habit now and again of spattering the ink, after the +fashion of a pyrotechnic display, wherever there happened to be any +roughness of the paper. He loved the antique, and lived a long way in +rear of the times; quill pens were natural pens, he said, and he would +have nothing to do with the modern steel rubbish, as he disdainfully +termed our great up-to-date invention. His house, furniture, and +clothes were antique, and so were his very person, face, and figure. + +He was short, thin, curved, and drab. I say drab, because no other +colour will so well describe his complexion, which was of a parchment +hue, and of the same leathery texture. Small slits of eyes, a hooked +nose, wide mouth with thin lips, hollow cheeks, and a broad and high +forehead; that was the facial appearance of my learned friend, the +antiquary. + +I met him near Birmingham, whither he had been to purchase a bundle +of old books, with which he was wearily toiling onward to his village +home. He sat by the roadside on a grassy bank with his treasures, girt +about by a strong leathern strap, by his side. + +Being a very hot day, the old man had a large red bandana handkerchief +in his hand, with which he patted his perspiring face. I asked him, by +way of obtaining an opening for a conversation, if I was on the right +road to Coventry, whereupon he informed me that he was walking to +Meridew, a distance of twelve miles along the road to Coventry, and if +I would give him a lift he would act as guide. + +I obliged the old man, although I knew the road perfectly, having +travelled the district before, but, as I love companionship, I thought +it a good opportunity for indulging my hobby. + +I found the old gentleman excellent company, and on arriving at +Meridew, discovered that he owned a very pretty, little, old-fashioned +house standing in its own grounds. Being both good talkers, and our +ideas running mainly in the same groove, my new friend invited me to +spend a few days with him, and I gladly availed myself of his kind +hospitality. + +The story of “Robyn Hode in Winter” he had discovered at an old book +shop at Coventry, and was lucky enough to become owner of the precious +document, for the insignificant but handy coin yclept a shilling. He +had read and re-read the old parchment so many times, that he had quite +got it by heart, and so much had it engrossed his mind, that when I +put him to sleep one evening he reproduced it vocally, as if he were +reciting it to an audience. + +He had at different times discovered other very curious documents, +copies of which he pressed upon me, and some of them I may, at a future +time, venture to inflict upon the indulgent public. + + +ROBIN HOOD IN WINTER. + +I, ROGER AYLMER, clerke to ye Abbot of Croweland Abbey in Lincolnshire, +doe hereby sweare that what I herein do write is ye fulle and whole +truth and nothing but ye truth of my seizure by ye outlawe Robyn Hode, +and that which I do heare write is to prove to ye Abbot of Fountaines +Abbey in Yorkshire, that I dyd to ye best of my mighte and courage, +seek to protect ye goodes belonging to him from ye rascally outlawe; +which sayd goodes were in my keepynge when they were by force y’parted +from me. + +In October 1196 Our goode Father ye Abbot (of Croweland) dyd receiue +from Fountaines Abbey, an order for certain goodes to be sent thither, +to wit: six score yardes of Lincolne cloth, three score yardes of +scarlet cloth, certain rolles of leather and sundrie other goodes. + +I was sent offe with four serving men and two yeomen, to whom, partly, +we looked for sustenance on our way, as the forests of Nottingham Shire +and Barneys Dale doe abound in many and gret dere, which be ye Kyng hys +property. Nevertheless, ye Kyng being away in Palestyne fightynge ye +Paynim, men doe take of hys dere withouten leve. + +Our traine dyd consist of six mules, bearing ye goodes, and seven +others which dyd beare myself and my menne. Ye weather being clere and +colde we dyd make right goode waye, passing safely thro’ the forests of +Notts wyth but one mishappe. + +At a lowe parte in a woode we dyd com upon a boggy place, near unto +which was a gret pool of water, engirdled rounde about with rushes and +eke with tall redes, and thynkinge it might be goode to water our mules +there, we dyd caste about for a patheway, to lede to the sayd water, +which anon we dyd find. + +The yeomen led ye way, but we had not far advanced when a gret wild +boare, with horrid snortyngs and squeals dyd attack one of oure mules, +and although both yeomen with their longbows dyd fill him with sundrie +arrowes, yet dyd he not desist from his bellowing and goreing. Then +straightway dyd ye bowels of ye mule gush out upon ye grounde from ye +tearing of ye crewel tarshes of ye boare. + +Seeing this, one of ye serving men dyd thrust thro’ the boare hys +bodie, a great spere, and fixed him to ye earthe; nevertheless no manne +dare venture near, so gret was ye rage of ye furious beast. Then dyd ye +serving men set upon him and overcame him, so that he preasently dyd +dye, and from hys carcase we dyd make a fulle hearty meale. + +Ye mule which was y’stricken ded, was that on which we dyd carry our +cooking gear, the which being packed upon a freshe mule, he dyd rebel +at ye noise of the tinne and copper pottes and pannes, which as he dyd +gambol and kicke dyd make much dullor, till the mule being tyred with +his prancynge did act more peacefully and get him gone quietly. + +Anon we reached ye forest of Barneys Dale, which as alle menne know is +ye chiefest haunte of that rascal outlawe, Robyn Hode and hys menne. + +Entering into ye forest my menne dyd beg me to goe around, for feare we +might mete with ye bold robber, to which I dyd reply that “Were it in +the days of summer, ye name of Robyn Hode might scare even me; a manne +of much courage and stomach for ye fighte; but it being the wintertyde, +I cared nought for hym, as he woulde be hyding in some snugge village +on ye craggy moors. I woulde therefore hie me thro’ ye forest, without +let or hynderance, and see what manner of place Robyn dyd love, and +that with mine owne eyen.” + +Into Barneys Dale we rode right merrilie, one of ye serving menne +playing blythely upon his sackbutt, y’whylst I dyd sing songs most +lustilie, soe that when we dyd join our voices in chorus, the foreste +dyd helpe us greatly to swell ye sounde, which dyd echo and ringe +against ye gret bowes and bolls of ye trees. Thys dyd we to keep in +goode hearte, and while we dyd thus divert ourselves, it being towards +ye houre of noone, we dyd com to a gret cliffe, near which dyd grow +manny noble trees, and at ye feet of ye cliffe dyd laye a mass of +tangled underwood and a faire barne or storehouse. + +As ye winde dyd blowe somewhat sore, and ye gret cliffe dyd give +shelter therefrom, we dyd alite from our mules, intending there to +dress our victuals. + +Finding a patheway or loke to ye foote of ye cliffe, we dyd secure +its shelter and lited us a fire, which was thereby screened from ye +colde winde. Then dyd we perceive that ye cliffe was full of gret holes +and caves, some of which were stopped uppe with rough bordes of wode +against them, which dyd make us marvel what might be behinde them. + +Then did we guess what they mought be; and some sayd it maye be soe and +soe, and others sayed it is thys or that, till one sayd it maye be ye +hiding-place of Robyn Hode, in ye faire tyme of ye yeare, but others +sayd no, it is a place for woodemen and they who doe mynd cattel. + +But one of my serving men being curious to knowe what was within these +caves, dyd with hys handes begin to pull downe some of ye boardes, ye +which dyd make a kynd of doorway, whereupon came an arrow, which dyd +pin hys hande to the woode, and he dyd cry out in gret payn for us to +release him. + +Then ran forward Thomas à Boston, one of ye yeomen, to give succor, +but whan he dyd put forthe hys hande to plucke out the arrowe from hys +comrade, straiteway flew anoder arrowe, which smiting him on ye face, +dyd pierce his two cheekes, soe that ye feathers of the arrowe were wet +with hys bloude. + +Anon came a loude voice which alle might heare, though ye speaker no +manne coulde see: + +“Stande alle! Upon ye erthe your weapons throwe.” + +Thys we dyd, when there advanced into ye lytell open space before ye +caves, a stalwart man y’clad in green clothe of goode pryce, having in +his hande a long-bowe to which an arrow was notched. At his right side +he dyd weare a goodlie sword, and from his left shouder hung a crooked +horne. He hadde on a mantel of sad color, but of thicke texture, to +keepe him from ye inclemency of ye weather. + +“Who seeke you here?” he cry’d. “Why brake you downe in wantonness ye +dwelling of a poore forester?” + +Then dyd I answer him and saye-- + +“We be but poore wayfayrers halting on our way to cook our store of +victuals, and dyd but mene to peep into the caves, to see if aney manne +dyd dwell therein this winter of the yeare.” + +Then dyd ye manne, with a gret oathe, declare that never dyd he see +a poore traveller wend his waye through the forest with such goodlie +retinue and beastes, and that he must firste enquire into my state, +before I went thitherfrom. + +With that he tooke his bugle and dyd blowe a lusty blast upon hys +curled horne, and anon came a reply from far awaye in ye foreste. + +Then ye bold robber, for we dyd guess it was Robyn himself, dyd set +him on ye gnarléd root of a gret tree and waited patiently; and soe +perforce dyd we, being afeard of ye man. Nevertheless, I dyd gaze +my fyll upon ye bolde outlawe before me, and marry, he was a right +sturdy fellow, tall, and of a proportionate bignesse of lymbe, comely +of feature, and with a swarthy visage, hys hair and beard of ye sloes +colour, and eke had he the eyen of ye falcon; a very proper manne was +he and in hys pryme. + +Anon as we dyd gaze upon him, and he at us, he dyd put to us sundrie +questions, which we dyd answer him very civilly. As he dyd thus +question us, and no man dyd come to the sounde of the robber’s bugle, +my other yeoman, Robert Baldrow, dyd rise up and saye to Robyn-- + +“Fellow, why doste thou stop peaceful travellers? Thou arte but one +manne and I another, and a staffe in my hande is as goode as one in +thine. Have at thee, knave!” and straightway he dyd springe before +Robyn, quarter-staffe in hande. Whereat Robyn set an arrow to his bowe, +makyng as if he would shoote, at the which Baldrow dyd cry out, “A +knave! a coward knave!!” + +Then dyd Robyn droppe his bow and to it they went right merrile. + +My manne Baldrow’s bloode was uppe, and eke was it downe, for Robyn +dyd give him such sounding thwacks, that the bloode did run adoune his +cheekes and drippe from his chin. Robyn, too, got manie a knock which +was harde, and his blacke bearde was rede with blode alsoe. + +Bothe dyd swat greatlie, and blowe them like unto oxen, till Robyn by a +swingyne blowe, did bring Baldrow downe upon the grounde, where he did +crye lustelie for mercie. + +While thys fighte dyd last, many great and lyttle men dyd hedge us +arounde, till there were quite a score and a halfe of them, and he who +appeared to be their leader was in stature ye largest man my eyen dyd +ever lite upon. When he stode besyde Robyn, his shoulder was a fulle +ynch taller than Robyn hys head; nor was he a thin wastreyl of a manne, +but proper and strong withall, and of about ye same age as Robyn Hode, +who dyd say he had y’seen thirty and fyve summers. + +While the fighte dyd last, my four serving men, who be doubtless arrant +knaves, dyd steal away with four of ye mules layden with sundrie +goodes, which Robyn percevyng, he dyd secretly send hys men in searche +of them, and in goode time they dyd bring them backe, and deliver them +bound to Robyn. + +Then Robyn swore a gret othe, that he had never met such scurvy knaves, +and did cause them to be bound with cordes to the trunks of fallen +trees, with their faces downwards. Then did foure of hys men belabour +their breeches with pliable saplings of ye ashe tree, till their +strength gave out, when the gret giant, whose name I did afterward find +to be Lytell John, did tell the whipped varlets to begone. But so sore +were their hams that they dyd but stir at the snail hys pace, makynge +y’while loud and sundry bemoanings, and walking in muche variety of +postures for they were sore hurte. + +My mules were meantyme kindly treated, for their burdeyns were released +from them, at which I dyd not much joie, for I dyd knowe right well ye +character of myne hoste. The food stuffe for our sustenance was taken +by ye robber band, and putte in gret yron potts, beneath which fires +were lighted, and in but smalle tyme a goode meale was spred before us +alle. + +They were a motley crew, and many of them dyd looke like unto beggars +(for tatters and dyrt) their clothes being very ragged and olde. Many +wore gret bands of hay round their legges to keepe them warme, and to +fend off ye wet from ye bracken and underwode. + +They were not dressed as I had heard tell, alle in Lincolne greene, +although a few of the head menne among them dyd dress their lymbs in +that cloth, namely, Lytell John, George à Greene, Raynolde Greenleafe +and a lyttel man y’clept Muche who was sonne of a miller. Some sayd he +was y’clept Muche because he was so lyttel, but he was a jolly manne +withal and was foole or jester of ye party, and dyd keep them all in +goode humour lyke unto ye jester in ye Kyng hys court. + +Another pretty manne was y’named Will Scadlocke, but as he dyd dress +hym in scarlet doublet, his comrades did name him Scarlett, from the +colour of hys dress. Many dyd weare buff leather jerkins and brown +hose, as it was ye tyme of winter when alle is browne and bare, but +quoth Robyn, “In the spring we do don our green raiment like to the +leaves of the forest, so that ye dere with their glittering eyen cannot +so readilie see us.” + +Dere were not in plentye, but these bold foresters did make nomble pies +of their entrails, which they did salt in gret tubs during the summer. +It was a humble, but alsoe a toothesome dysh, when seasoned with sweete +herbes. + +Robyn hys menne dyd attend to my two wounded menne, and dyd place them +on softe couches of bracken, which dyd lie hid in the caves. Me they +dyd lodge in a gret barne of wattle and clay, which dyd afford me good +shelter. Thys in ye summer was the resorte of cowherds, who dyd here +keep their store and eke slumber, driving in their cattel in stormy +weather. + +In this shed or barne dyd stande much store of victuals for keepe of +ye robbers who dyd remain with their leader through the inclemency +of wintertyde. Floure and porke in barrels, pickled herryngs from +Yaremouthe; beanes, onions, and carrotes; beere and cyder in fayre +casks were in gret plentie, all of which store was sent in by ye +farmers for many myles around that Robyn might exempt their cattel, +menne, and goodes from hys seizure. + +Robyn, goode man, dyd place alle my goodes and chattels in one of his +caves, that they might be safe from hys comrades, and that no manne +might take from them. + +Next daye it dyd snow, and everything was covered from sight, and alle +assembled in the barne where they had buylt a woode fire, round which +they dyd sitte and laye as they liste. Some dyd sing songs, and Muche, +the lytell miller, dyd play them many tunes on hys pype, while another +merry fellow dyd beat lustily on a tabour or drumme, and thus dyd they +beguile the time away right joyouslie, whyle harmony dyd prevail; but +ye said harmonie dyd not laste longe, for one gret quarrelsome rascal +dyd grumble that the ale was too bittere with horehound, and some sayd +it was a righte goode brew, whereupon they fell to jangling, and the +manne who was of gret stature dyd challenge any one to crack his sconce +with a bout at quarter-staffe. Another manne, who was of the brede of +the greyhond, did thereupon rise uppe and tackle him, and atte it they +dyd goe for the full space of an hour; by which tyme he who was of +slender form, had lent his foe soe many and sounding thwacks that the +bigge man was fain to crie, “A goe!” and soe ye battel ended amyd muche +laughter. + +Then goode Robyn dyd saye let us to some more songes and then early to +couche; for to-morrow is Christmas Daye. Then was a gret cup brought in +and filled to the brim with meade, which being a noble drinke, was but +for Robyn and me, Aylmer, his guest. + +It was goode liquor, and we dyd sup it deeplie, when Robyn thinkynge +to fleer at my priestly garb, dyd aske me, “Coulde I wrastle,” and I +being a lytell in my cups, dyd reply that I could wrastle any outlawe +that was ever borne, though it was manie yeares since I had played a +boute. + +Then dyd we wrastle before alle assembled, and they present dyd laugh +heartily to see the figure I dyd cut, being of great girth. Howbeit +I dyd styk to Robyn, and by a lucky chance dyd roll him over and dyd +sit on his backe, to make mirth for those present; but Robyn dyd not +laugh atte alle, being angered that a priest should thus him overthrow; +soe when I dyd let him uppe he dyd run at me with gret vengeance in +hys eyen, and he soe smote me on the stommick that I dyd pante right +mightilie. + +Then was I also an angered manne, and having a strong arme dyd requite +Robyn with a gret blow of the nose, which dyd blede an it were a runlet +of goode rede claret. + +To make peace, “Long John,” as I dyd hear Lytell John sometime called, +dyd com betwixt and dyd part us, and we ware carried off, each to hys +bed in a separate cave. So ended the Vigil of Noel. + +The morne of Christmas Daye was one which dyd smile over the erthe wyth +gret brightness, and alle were astir betimes, and many went divers ways +into the woodes to seek for dere. They took but their bows and speares +in their handes, leaving the frieze covers of their bowes at home, as +there was no damp in the frosty air which might shorten their strings. + +Robyn was very surlie, for he had gotten two blacke eyen, and his nose +was swollen and red like to ye haws which are sent for birdes food in +winter. I was much afeared of the manne, thinkynge he might doe me +some mischief for a revenge for ye blowe I had placed upon hys nose, +but we dyd shake hands and were friendly, and being Christmas Morne, he +woulde have me goe into his cave chambre and pray for him, which I dyd. +Althoughe an outlawe hys menne doe say he is of pious mind, praying to +ye Blessed Virgin at alle seasons, especially in tyme of gret peril. + +When we had our prayers sayd, Lytell John dyd roar out with gret pain, +saying that his tooth dyd ache sore, and so it dyd prove, for no manne +dare go near him, so greatly dyd he rage. Then he cryd for some one to +pull it from his jawe for hym, but no manne dyd offer, tyll home came +Wayland, who had of olde tyme been a smyth, and used to the handling of +implements. + +Lytell John dyd throw himself upon ye plancher in ye barne, and foure +of the strongest men dyd houlde him dowen. + +Then dyd Wayland bring forthe hys tools, which he kept in a leathern +poke, for many a jobbe dyd he for the companie. Lytell John’s eyen dyd +roule muche when he dyd see the iron pincers, which Wayland dyd bring +forthe from the poke, but they being made for horse shoeing were too +large for his mouthe, and woulde not worke therein, although it was a +large one. + +Then Wayland founde him a smaller pair, and with them went to worke +agen, upon which Lytell John dyd roar and struggle mightilie, but they +who held him being strong men he coulde not get free. Wayland dyd again +try, but being used to rough work dyd not set to worke skilfullie, +whereupon Will Scadlocke, who had now returned with two hares whych he +had shotte, dyd attempt to get out the aching tooth, and with such +address dyd he set to worke, that in but a few minutes he dyd drawe it +forth triumphantlie. + +Then they dyd waken Lytell John, who had fallen into a kind of trance +(in whych he did groan), by rubbinge his face with snow and putting ice +on ye nape of hys necke. + +Soone came home ye merrie menne, some with doe meat and some with a +gret dere they had slain; while Peter the falconer dyd add toe the +store, two ducks and a fine guse, at which there was great rejoicynge. + +Three menne still were to come home, and their comrades dyd look for +them anxiously, fearing they had been taken by ye menne of Murdach, +Sheriff of Nottingham, but in tyme they came back bringing three gret +pikes, which they had snared in the river, beside gret store of perch, +which they had netted without asking leve of anney manne. + +Guards were sette to the right and left of the campe, and fires y’made, +at which were dressed gret diversitie of dishes, and atte duske the +feaste was spread in ye barne. It was a feaste that woulde have graced +the Refectory of Crowlande Abbey, albeit it was served uppe in a +somewhat rough manner. + +Fish, fleshe, and fowle of all kinds were there, and cyder and ale in +plentie, so that each manne dyd eat and quaff and sing and laugh, till +he coulde no more. + +Then dyd they sitte and laye around the bigge fire and tell stories of +their deeds, which dyd shock mine ears exceedinglie. + +By the fyrelight they dyd look a very desperate sett of menne, ye more +so when they had drunken of the goode rede wine, which Robyn had caused +to be broached. + +Robyns nose grew redder as he dranke, and hys eyen being black he dyd +look most curious. Lytell John dyd have hys jawes in a slyng, as hys +cheeke was some deal painful after his toothe hauling. My yeoman, +Robert Baldrow, whose cheekes hade been shot through, was a silent +manne, for his mouth was bounden in a clothe through a hole in which he +dyd suck up some brothe through a hollow bunke. + +Howbeit, for these lytell drawbacks, each man dyd enjoy himself +greatly, and dyd sing or daunce according as he was him capable, and +ye merriment was kept up for a gret many houres till many dyd drink +themselves to sleep, and their comrades dyd cover them with deer skins +and bracken, for fear they might be freesed, so colde was ye night. + +“Not oft,” sayd Allan-a-dale to me, “do we have these galas, onlie now +and again, else myght the crewel Sheriff of Nottingham worke us some +ill.” + +For several dayes more dyd Robyn keep me hys prisoner, and on onne day +I dyd see some of their famous archerie. + +On New Yeres Day, Robyn, Lytell John and Scadlocke, had matched +themselves to strike as many arrows into a marke as any six of their +comrades. Thys wager was accepted by Much, Greneleafe, Allan-a-dale, my +man Thomas à Boston, Reginauld Foxe, and one they called “Humpy” from +his crooked backe. + +A hare skin was stretched on a hoope of wode and placed as a pryke for +them to shote at, at a distance of eighte score yardes, and each manne +was to shote a score of arrowes at ye marke. + +Robyn, Lytell John, and Scadlocke dyd shote first, and of their three +score arrows, a score and seventeen dyd stryke the marke, though Robyn +dyd not schote well, hys nose being as bigge as two, and was in hys way +when he dyd schote, so that but ten of his arrowes of the full score +dyd strike ye mark. + +Then dyd Much and his menne in turn shote at ye marke, and of alle +their six score arrowes, two score and three dyd pierce ye skyn, +whereat there was much shoutynge and laughing by those who dyd behold, +and Robyn dyd look him ruefully to see ye prize, which was a flagon of +yelow wine, drunk by lytell Much and hys men. + +On the 2nd of January, my yeoman being recovered of his woundes, Robyn +dyd give me leve for to goe on my waye. Whereon I dyd thanke hym and +ask for my gear, at whych he dyd laugh him outrighte in my face. + +“Nay, Master Monk,” sayd he, “ye traveller must paye for hys fayre. +Have I not kept you and two menne and alle your mules these ten days? +Come quit thee hence, and thy gear I will keep in payment for thy +victuals and bedde. + +“Come, begone! and a right pleasaunt journey to you!” + +But I woulde not thus be putten offe, and dyd trye with my menne to +bringe forth the bayles of clothe from the caves, but the robbers tooke +them from us, giving us many cuffes and kickes for oure pains. Anon I +demanded my mules, but Robyn dyd say: + +“Nay, brother, I have keeped ye mules for ten days for thee, and now I +will keepe them longer for mine owne use. Dere meate may become scarce, +then will mule meate be plentie.” + +Then I dyd try and seize ye rascal by his ears, to give him som +chastisement, for we monkes be manie of us strong menne, being used to +much huntinge and hawkinge arounde our monasteries. + +Thereupon dyd the giant Lytell John seize me and my men, and bynde us +face downwardes on our mules, and with many stripes of their bowes and +quarter-staves, they dyd beat us on ye uppermoste parts till we dyd +fairlie crye oute for mercie. + +Then dyd Robyn say-- + + “I doe gif you a present each of a mule. Commende me to your good + master the Abbot, and begge hym to give us hys company in the merrie + Maye dayes, and he shall meet with cheer over and above that which + you have received. Fare ye welle.” + + Then the robbers dyd thwacke us again, tyll Robert Baldrow dyd slyp + from hys mule by ye breakynge of hys strappes, and dyd begge Robyn to + allow hym to remain and become one of hys menne. + + Atte which Robyn dyd laugh and give hys consent right readilie, + striking hym on ye backe with hys palm to showe hys pleasure thereat. + + In three dayes we dyd return us to Crowlande Abbey, hungry nigh untoe + dethe, and sore; where being kindlie entreated we dyd recover, and in + the quiet of mine owne cell, I have written thys parchement to cleare + my character of guilt. + + Shoulde ever I com across that rascal robber, Robyn Hode, I will soe + bange hys carcase with my staffe, that hys skin shall be like a poke + filled with odde bones. + + “Syned, ROGER AYLMER, + “Jany. 10, 1197.” + + + “CROWLANDE ABBEY, + “_Marche, 1495_. + + “I, John Wybourne, a monk of Crowlande Abbey, dyd fynde, in a strong + chist of ye Ladye Chapelle, a document written by one Roger Aylmer + in 1197, which dyd showe how he was taken by ye thief Robyn Hode and + dyd spend ten dayes with hym in Wintertyde: the sayd document being + soe badlie written and so badelie spelt that I have corrected itte to + conform with oure modern spellynge. + + “Althoughe I have altered the wordes I have not altered the sense of + the document, but merely for the sayk of our Abbey, I have set my + hande to yts correction, that those who com after doe not blushe for + shayme at Roger Alymer hys badde spellynge.” + + * * * * * + +My old friend the antiquarian would have me drive him to Coventry on +my way thither, as he was particularly anxious that I should not miss +visiting the shop at which he had made such discoveries of ancient +parchments--parchments which, but for his discovery, would have gone, +sooner or later, to form the heads of children’s toy drums. + +I cannot refrain from mentioning one little incident which took place +before we parted. My friend, in showing me the lions of Coventry, +took me into the Public Hall, where we found the old fellow in charge +busy cleaning the windows. We asked permission to look round, and +in speaking to the old custodian who was on the ladder I had some +difficulty in making myself understood. I said, “My friend, I am +afraid, although this is a fine hall, that its acoustics are very bad.” + +To my surprise he gave a lengthy sniff and replied, “I don’t know about +that, sir, I’ve never had a complaint before, _I can’t smell anything_!” + +I did not smile, but passed out quickly, for fear of an attack of +apoplexy. + +In travelling from place to place I come across some strange incidents, +some of which are merely the outcome of simplicity or kindness of heart. + +Thus at one village I visited, I happened to mention to the landlord of +the inn I was staying at that I had omitted to pack a tooth-brush with +my other impedimenta. + +“Oh, I’ll soon set that right,” he replied, and darting from the room +quickly returned with a face beaming with pleasure. + +“Here’s one, sir,” and he held out a tooth-brush; “you’ll find it’s a +very good one, for _I’ve only used it a few times_!” + +Simplicity of manner frequently runs hand in hand with simplicity of +speech; as an illustration of the latter I may give a few words I once +heard delivered from the pulpit of a Primitive Methodist chapel, by a +good-natured, but somewhat illiterate preacher. He said-- + +“My dear frinds, coming to worshup this mornin’, I had a curious idea +come inter my head. I likened this chapel to a gret iron biler, and +you, my frinds, I likened to the dumplin’s a-being biled, while I was +the long wooden spune a-stirring on yer up! There, my dear frinds, +them were my thoughts when I was a-walking here this werry mornin’.” + +What could be more graphic than such a charming and flattering +discourse? There could be no comparison between Cicero and this village +Hampden! + + + + +VII. + +INTRODUCTION TO “ECCLES OLD TOWER.” + + +You must know, gentle reader, that at Eccles, a village of about a +score inhabitants, on the Norfolk coast, midway between Yarmouth and +Cromer, stands an old church tower. It is quite upon the beach, so that +at spring tides the “send” of the waves comes round the base of the old +flint tower, which must at some day, not far distant,[D] fall with a +mighty crash, a prey to the undermining and gnawing of the hungry sea, +which in its insatiable encroachment annually devours hundreds of tons +of the soft clay cliff, which at no point reaches a very formidable +height. + + [D] Eccles Steeple fell during a tremendous gale on January 23rd, + 1895, and but little remains of the huge pile except portions of the + larger fragments which are still unburied by the sand. + +North and south of Eccles the cliffs give place to sand dunes, or, as +they are locally called, “Marram banks,” which are kept in repair by a +tax levied on all the villages between Norwich and the sea, a distance +of nearly twenty miles. Norwich itself also contributes its quota, as +if the sea once broke through the banks it would, by ditch, marsh, and +river, run quite up to the ancient city, and submerge the portion which +is contiguous to the river Wensum. + +The steeple at Eccles (or as it is called locally, and by the thousands +of mariners who know it as a landmark, Eccles Old Tower) stands just +above high-water mark, on the beautiful firm sands, for which the +Norfolk coast is unsurpassed. It is of flintwork, the lower part being +“knapped,” or dressed, and the upper part of the natural flint. It is +a circular tower with an octagonal upper chamber, but it is roofless, +doorless, and windowless, excepting that the apertures, greatly +decayed, still remain. The walls of the tower are unusually massive, +and the whole structure rises to an altitude of nearly seventy feet. + +The body of the church was pulled down about 1603, being then in such a +bad state of repair that it was dangerous to passers-by; in fact, one +wall was actually blown down in a gale, and the other razed to prevent +an accident. + +The foundations of the church still exist, but buried in the sand. +It was a small church (the nave being only some sixty feet long), +and as its remains are occasionally laid bare, the writer has had +opportunities of measuring the various dimensions. Although these +dimensions might be interesting to an ecclesiologist or archæologist, +they would be wearisome to our readers, as they have nothing whatever +to do with the story. + +Round the huge fragments of the recumbent walls may be seen, after a +visit from a heavy north-west gale, the foundations of the cottages +which once formed the village. Cottage walls, out-houses, filled-up +wells, fruit-tree roots, etc., are to be seen in all directions, and +now and then, at rare intervals, a few coins and curiosities are +picked up. When the ruins _are_ laid bare, the place forms what might +aptly be termed the Norfolk Pompeii. + +It was while I was sketching the old tower, one autumn day, that I +came upon a fisherman employed in breaking up some wreckage which had +been washed ashore. The timber being full of old bolts, and consisting +mainly of twisted, gnarled oak knees, was of no value save for +firewood, otherwise it would have been in the hands of the coastguard. +He was a very civil but reticent fellow, and I could not get a yarn out +of him by any means without exerting my hypnotic power, which I did, +obtaining, as a result, the following wild story. + + +ECCLES OLD TOWER. + +I am only a plain fisherman, with but little book learning; but I think +I can muster up enough form o’ speech to tell you one of the skeeriest +tales you ever heard in all your born days. + +It was the first week in January, 188--, that we had a dreadful gale +from the north-west which came at the full moon; consequently the tides +were high, and this here gale came with such a scouring force, that +the soft cliffs melted away like a lump of butter in the glare o’ the +sun. The sand was swep’ away right down to what you might term the +foundations of the shore, and everything laid as bare as my forehead. +I liken it to my forehead, which is kinder wrinkly, because there were +great ruts and scars along the beach which had once been holls,[1] +deeks,[2] and lokes.[3] + +I and a mate o’ mine walked along the beach next day, just to see if +anything had been thrown ashore that would come in handy to a couple +of poor chaps like ourselves; but little did we find, for some one had +been pawkin’[4] before us. Still, we got a useful length of two-inch +rope and a couple of dantos,[5] attached to a score fathom of decent +net, so our walk paid for shoe-leather. + +When we got to the third breakwater--for we live at Hasbro’--and peeped +over, we were wholly stammed[6] to see the old village of Eccles laid +bare and plain like a map. There was the walls of the housen standin’ +up two foot and more in some places; and some of the door thresholds +were still there, with the wood as good as ever. We could make out the +shapes of the gardens, and could see where the fruit-trees had once +stood, by the roots and tree-bolls that still remained. + +In grubbing about with a pointed boat-streak, I roused out an old +leathern bag with a golden guinea in it, and a piece of rusty iron +tangled in the strap, which might have been a knife or somethin’ of the +sort in days gone by. + +Afterwards we looked over the churchyard wall, and to our surprise +found that many of the graves had been washed open; in fact, some of +the coffins lay there nearly level with the ground, for you know we +don’t bury very deep in Norfolk, not more than four foot, and only one +corpse in each hole. + +The coffins wor of a different shape to what they make ’em now-a-days, +for they were long, like a seaman’s chest, but broad at one end and +narrow at the other, and the lid hinged on at one side. + +Human bones were washing about in all directions, and a long line of +them lay among the rubbish left at high watermark. We found one immense +coffin near the north wall of the church, which must have been seven +foot long, if it was an inch. The lid was much decayed, and in some +parts broken away; so we thought it no sin to prize the rest off, and +see what was inside. + +It was level full of sand, but when we scooped some of it out with +our hands, we came upon the perfect skelington of a man, black with +age, but nothing missing. It looked as if he might have been the +giant Goliar that we read of in the Bible. He was no use to us, so we +covered him up decent like, and as it was getting towards dark we took +ourselves home agin. + +Next day I borrowed old Garrod’s dickey,[7] and rode up to Stalham, and +called on old Dr. Rix, for he was what some folks call a aquarian, or +somethin’ o’ that sort, and showed him my guinea in the bag, and the +old bit o’ steel; and he gave me just what I asked him for ’em, and +that was two-and-twenty shillings: he was pleased, and so was I, for it +was just as much as I could earn in a fortnight. I stopped at his some +time goldering[8] about what I had seen at Eccles, and he up and told +me, when I mentioned about the big skelington, that if I could bring +it to him _intack_--that’s not broken or any bits lost--he’d give me a +five-pound note. + +Lor, I wor soon home agen, I made the old dickey fly as if the Old ’un +were arter us. Thinks I, this ought to be a single-handed job, and if +I take a big poke[9] and go alone, I shan’t have any one to dole[10] +out halves to. So I got my spade and a lantern, a poke, and a fairish +thumbpiece of bacon and bread, and everything else I wanted all ready, +and then waited till near midnight, so that I knew the coast would be +clear for the job. + +It was a thick, starless night, with great grey snow-clouds rolling +about overhead, and the wind from the north-east was a regular +marrer-freezer, and I can’t say I much cared for the work in hand; +but, as the parson said when he went on a slide, “it’s foolish to turn +back,” so on I went. The road was frozen right nubbly, and made me +wobble about a bit, but by the time I got to the beach I was warm and +comfortable, and got along more comfortable-like on the frozen sand, +which was covered with snow in the hollows. The sand and foam from +seaward was a bit unpleasant, but I didn’t trouble much about that, for +my thoughts were a mile ahead, with the skelington waiting for me at +Eccles. + +I had walked about half-a-mile along the beach, when down came the +snow, wreathing and tearing about all mander[11] of ways, and every now +and then I got into the centre of a whirl that pulled me up short, and +nearly took my breath away. This only lasted a few minutes, and then +the squall cleared off as suddenly as it came on, and I got on much +faster with my journey. + +I passed the first and then the second breakwater, and by the light +that the sea always gives, I was picking my way along very nicely, +when, what should I see, but some one a-coming towards me along the +beach. I had not lighted my lantern, as I only wanted that for my +actual work, so it was possible the man approaching might not have +caught sight of me, and as I did not want to be seen by any one at that +time of night, especially by a coastguard, I dropped quietly on the +sand in a hollow, in hopes that whoever it was might pass me by. + +Down I went on my stummick, but kept my eyes on the man approaching, +and found to my surprise that he was dressed in very light clothes; not +a coastguard, I thought, at all events. + +Closer he came, and then I began for some reason or other to dudder[12] +and tremble, but I can’t tell why, perhaps it was the cold; anyway, +there was nothing I could see in the stranger that should fright me; +that is to say, not just then, when I felt the first symptoms. + +But presently, when he came closer, I had some cause to shake, for +what I saw was a man in a long white smock, which blew out in the wind +behind him as he stalked along. The nearer he came the worse I felt, +for he seemed to grow taller and taller every step he took. + +Would he pass me? + +Yes! + +No!! + +No, up he came, right straight to me, and I felt like fainting--or what +I should fancy fainting was like, for I have never experienced it. +When he came close, I could not have stood on my feet for the value of +Norwich Castle; I was right terrified, although the man had not even +spoke a word. + +As I looked up he towered above me like a lugger’s mast, and his great +bare legs were right against me. I panted, for I could not speak, but +presently, in a foreign sort of voice, the figure said-- + +“Hullo, my friendt, anything amiss?” + +I looked at him again and my fear fled, for I immediately took him to +be a shipwrecked mariner, cast ashore in his sleeping gear from some +vessel. + +My strength at once returned, and I stood upon my feet; but although +five feet eight in my socks, and weighing fourteen stone in my +oil-frock, I was only a baby by the side of my visitor, whose shoulder +was more than level with the top of my head. This did not frighten me +much, but when I looked at his eyes--Oh, lor! I thought I should have +dropped on all fours again. + +His eyes were red and glowing like the port-light of a ship, and when +he spoke, the inside of his mouth seemed to reflect a fire, which must +have been raging in his internal regions. + +I felt real bad, but could not keep my eyes off that huge face, with +its flaming eyes and mouth, and I vowed I would never come out, +single-handed, skelington-hunting again--no, not for the whole R’yle +Mint. + +“Mine friendt,” said the giant, “you are just de man I wandt der see; +you haf a spade. You come mit me to Eccles?” + +Would I? Could I say no? + +I went. + +We had but half-a-mile to walk, and that in a biting east wind, varied +with still more piercing squalls of snow and sleet, and I trembled in +every limb, while my heart rattled on like a donkey-engine getting in a +chain cable--all bumps and thumps. + +I looked at the marrams,[13] and calculated what chance I should have +if I tried leg-bail; but when I looked at the length of my companion, I +gave it up as onpractical. + +I was cold, although in what we call about here a “muck swat,” but my +new friend was all of a glow (especially about the mouth). He would +have made a rare fiery speaker for the House of Commons; he would have +frightened them that he couldn’t convince by his speechifying. + +His conversation was dreadful--I don’t mean perfane or rude-like, but +the things that man told me made my flesh creep on my bones. He wanted +to make out to me that he had been buried three hundred years, just +before the old church was pulled down! + +I can swallow a pretty thick strand of a yarn, but this here fellow +wanted me to swallow a whole cable, for he went on to tell me how, in +1584, he came over from Harlingen to Yarmouth, in a fishing-boat of +which he was mate, and that while ashore he one day fell in with three +or four fellows who were kinder interfering with a good-looking young +girl. Being strong he went for the whole set of them, and got the girl +away, but one of the gang struck him a blow with a heavy stick and +broke his arm. + +The girl’s father came up and thanked the young Dutchman, and finding +that his daughter’s protector had broken a limb and could not work for +a week or two, took him to a surgeon and had the limb set. He left +him with the onderstanding that Dutchy would come and spend a week +with them, when the doctor had finished with him. The old fellow was +a farmer at Eccles, and being market-day, had as usual brought his +daughter with him to Yarmouth. + +Well, up to there was what the play-actors would call Act One, and that +was all very nice and proper, but just you listen, and you’ll see how +it will turn out. + +By and by away goes the young Dutchman to Eccles, and of course he +naturally fell in love with the mawther.[14] But she wouldn’t have him +at no price. No, she thanked him, and tried all she could to make him +comfortable, but--she already had a sweetheart. + +This staggered Dutchy, but he had no idea of letting her go so +easily, and as every one in the village was afraid of the giant, the +girl’s father ordered the banns to be put up, to make sure that his +neighbour’s son should not be frightened out of his rights. + +Dutchy tried all he knew to get the girl to alter her mind for a whole +week; and finding it in wain, he one morning disappeared. + +That was what you might term Act Two. So far it had been all comedy, +as the play-actors call it, but the last act was a wiolent and wicious +one, as you shall hear. + +The wedding-day came; the villagers flocked to the church; the ceremony +took place; the bells rang out; and, according to our custom, the +people fired their guns over the heads of the happy couple as they came +out of the porch, on their way to the home of the bride’s father. + +All was perfect joy, but in another moment the joy was turned to +horror, for as the young couple came from the north porch, and turned +into the pathway leading round the foot of the old tower, a huge figure +(it was Dutchy) sprang upon them, and like a flash of lightning struck +them dead to the earth, before a hand could be raised to prevent it. +The reeking knife he calmly wiped, and thrust into his waist-belt, +and then stood glowering at the crowd, who kept at a very respectable +distance from him. He told them of the hard-heartedness of the girl, +and denounced her as she lay dead before him as an unfeeling creature, +and bade them know that what he had done was his mode of revenge, or +as he called it--Justice. + +But where was the bride’s father all this time? + +Well, he had been busy, as you shall hear. + +It is the custom of we Norfolkers to give what we call “largesses”[15] +at marriages, comings of age, and suchlike; and on this occasion the +old man had pervided hisself with a little leather poke filled with +small silver coins, to throw among the assembled crowd, and indeed he +was occerpied in so doing when the death of his daughter took place. He +knew it was no use going for Dutchy single-handed, so he just stepped +behind the porch and loaded his gun with a handful of silver groats, +and when it was done sprang out, just when the giant had finished his +speech, and was turning to leave the place unmolested by the onlookers. + +The old man shouted to him to stay or he would shoot; but, grasping the +knife in his belt, the young fellow walked away, without taking any +notice; whereupon the old man rushed after him, and aiming at his head, +fired. + +“Der oldt man did shoot mit der gun right tro mine neck, and I seize +him, and gif him fon stap mit my knife, and den I vas dedt mineself,” +were the words of my uncanny companion. + +Whether he killed the old man I cannot say, but he himself was killed, +and all this three hundred years ago! + +And this was the gentleman I was taking a walk with, much against my +will, at night’s-noon, as we say. + +But then he went on with a lot more strange talk, about how he had a +kind of holiday, or as we say frolic-time, ’lowanced out to him once +every hundred years, on the annewersery of the day when all this +piece of work took place; only he was not let loose, so to speak, till +midnight, and then for only three hours. + +Well, I’d heard some tough uns before, and didn’t mind what I had +heard; but them eyes!--when I looked up at his face they bowled me over +altogether. He was no mortal, that I could take my davy on. + +For a little Dutchy walked in silence, and I found _my_ tongue and +asked him if he didn’t fare cold, seeing he only had a kind of shirt on! + +He turned his eyes upon me, and then I saw I had made a mistake in +asking such a question; fancy what a silly thing to ask a chap with +a furnace in his innards. But he was not put out at my question, and +wolunteered a explanation, as the saying is. + +He opened his mouth and asked me to look into it. Well, if I live to be +as old as our neighbour Ives, and she is a hundred and three, I shall +never forget the sight. He blazed internally like a dustpan of live +coal, and the sight made my knees quiver, as if the heat of his breath +had melted my marrer, or whatever it is holds a fellow right up. I’ve +heard tell of men’s hearts waxing faint, and I do believe that that +night my bones were no better than wax, for hold my frame up straight I +could not, however I tried, and I am not reckoned a coward when any job +is on hand that wants a steady nerve and strong hand; and I’ve been out +on the sea some rum wather too, but the sight down this fellow’s throat +done me entirely. + +When he had shown me his furnace below, he went on to tell me that +what I had seen was the sin burning within him, and it could only be +quenched by the forgiveness of the girl he killed three hundred years +ago. + +Well, of course I could not say that that was all fudge, though I could +not believe him, but the funny part of it was, that when we got to +Eccles Old Tower there sat a young woman on the ruins of the porch in +a kind of night-shirt, as if she was waiting for us. That of course +showed me that there was some truth in what Dutchy had been telling me, +and when I nodded to the young woman, she gave me a very pretty smile, +and said she was glad to see me, and that now I had come matters might +be set right, and they could obtain a little rest. + +Then she chatted on and told me that she had for a long time forgiven +Dutchy, knowing that he had that within him that must have burnt away +all sin long ago, but that without a mortal witness she could not +forgive him, as the sin had taken place on earth. She owned that it was +her cruel conduct that had brought on the Dutchman’s revenge, and now +before me as witness she would forgive him, and seal the forgiveness +with a kiss. + +Lors me! when they kissed I thought the poor man would have been blowed +to pieces, for he exploded intarnilly with a tremenjous report, and the +flames shot out of his mouth, ears, and eyes like rockets, and went +wizzing away in streaks right over the marrams, where they were soon +swallowed up in the dark and thick air. + +Now my legs did give way, and down I went with my back agen the church +wall, and although I was spellbound, I could see and hear all that went +on before me. + +[Illustration: “By the sheen of the foam I beheld two skelingtons +sitting in their coffins.”--_p. 157._] + +Dutchy, whose eyes and mouth no longer shone, snatched up my lantern, +stooped over me, and took my brass box of matches and struck a +light, then seizing the spade, he set to work, and very soon had the +huge coffin out of the sand. But the strange thing about it was, that +it was the very one I had come to rob, only now there were no bones in +it, and it dawned upon my stupid brain that Dutchy and the skelington +was one! Where he got his flesh and shirt from goodness only knows. + +The young woman, who was very pretty and had long hair down her back, +which blew out like a ship’s pennant in the gale, helped the giant by +holding the lantern, while he did the work. + +The big coffin being placed above ground, away they went round to the +other side of the church, where Dutchy set to work digging again, and +after a little while cleared the second coffin, which I reckon belonged +to the girl. + +While this was going on I had raised myself on to my marrer-bones, +and with my fingers hooked over the old church wall was taking a view +of all their doings, and no doubt I was all eyes and mouth if any one +could have seen me. + +Presently the giant up-ended the big coffin and got it on his shoulder, +and as he and the girl came round by the tower, she stopped and +actually asked for another kiss. Such a request took my breath away, +and to avoid the awful dullor[16] which I expected would follow, put my +fingers into my ears, but, would you believe me, it was as human a kiss +as ever you saw, and not even a whiff of smoke appeared, let alone a +tongue of flame, when their lips met. + +He also carried the little coffin down to the water’s edge, and then +up he came, and dragged the big one down by the side of it, and there +they lay, for all the world like two boats. + +Then back they came right to where I was, a-cowering by the flint wall, +and says Dutchy-- + +“Tank you werry much for der lantern and der spade,” and he held out +his great hand as he added, “Farewell.” + +I was very loath, but I took it, and as true as I am alive, it felt +damp and cold like the hand of a dead man, and sent a thrill along my +backbone I shall never forget. + +Then the young woman came forward and thanked me, and put forth _her_ +hand for me to shake, and I shook something very like a fish, but did +not shudder quite so much, as I was a bit more used to it after the +first shock, so to speak. + +After that they walked down to their coffins and each got into the +right one, and as I did not follow too close, Dutchy turned round and +beckoned me to him, and with fear and trembling I obeyed, and tottered +down to the water’s edge. + +“Now, mynheer,” said he, “when you see der change kom, push der boads +off.” + +I had no idea what he meant, but I shuddered out a kind of “Yes,” and +there they sat, till presently he cried out-- + +“Now den, push avay!” + +As he spoke, I floated them off, and they appeared to melt partly away, +and to change colour from the pinky tinge of life to the grey of death. + +They floated: and by the sheen of the foam I beheld two skelingtons +sitting in their coffins, scudding against wind and tide right out to +sea, slashing through the great breakers as if they had no more weight +or power than mists. + +Dutchy’s skelington arm was round where his companion’s waist ought to +have been, when I last saw them, as they burst through a big old roller +that would have sunk a billyboy schooner. + +Where they were bound for goodness only knows; neither do I care. All +I know is, that I got home some time or other, for when I woke up the +week after, they told me I was better, and that I had had brain fever. + +When I got well, I went to Eccles to see if what I had got into my +brainpan was all moonshine or no, but if you’ll believe my word, the +two coffins I had seen dug up by Dutchy were gone sure enough, which I +take it proves my story to be ker-rect. + + * * * * * + +My nautical friend, on leaving my van, had not the remotest notion that +he had told me a story, and as to my being able to send him to sleep, +why, he simply laughed at such a thing as an impossibility. + +In his normal condition I tried in vain to draw him out to spin a yarn, +but although he owned that he knew some “real rum ’uns,” I could not +prevail on him to tell me one. He merely sat and smoked, and did little +more than carry on a disjointed monosyllabic conversation. + +“Why will you not spin me a yarn, my friend?” I asked. + +“Why, sir, you see,” said he, “I ain’t no scholard, and although I may +_think_ a great deal, I’m no sort o’ hand at _talking_. I never could +frame[17] enough to tell anything in a kinder pretty way like some +folks. No, sir, you don’t ketch me opening my mouth to be papered [put +in print] for gentlefolks to laugh and make game of me.” + +That being so, I had no alternative but to make him a victim, with the +result chronicled above. + + + EXPLANATION OF NORFOLK WORDS. + + [1] holl, _a ditch_. + + [2] deek, _a hedge-bank_. + + [3] loke, _a lane_. + + [4] pawkin, _hunting for wreckage_. + + [5] danto, _a fishing-buoy_. + + [6] stammed, _astonished_. + + [7] dickey, _a donkey_. + + [8] goldering, _chatting_. + + [9] poke, _a bag or sack_. + + [10] dole, _a share_. + + [11] mander, _manner_. + + [12] dudder, _to shiver_. + + [13] marrams, _grass-covered sandhills_. + + [14] mawther, _a maid, a young girl_. + + [15] largesse, _a gift_. + + [16] dullor, _a distracting noise_. + + [17] frame, _to use big words_. + + + + +VIII. + +INTRODUCTION TO “THE MONK’S PENANCE.” + + +I have a friend who is a well-known ecclesiastic glass-painter, and +who, as a relaxation, delights in gardening; consequently he lives +just out of London, so as to be enabled to carry out his hobby for +horticultural pursuits. To work in his London studio during four days +of the week, and to reserve Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for his +country life is his plan, by adopting which he is neither a countryman +nor a town-dweller, but something of both: he is pleased to call +himself an “Urberusticite.” + +Recently, when near the metropolis, I trundled my van down the North +Road to his snug little villa, and spent a few days with him. + +I promised if he would help me in _my_ hobby, by one evening giving +himself up to me as a victim, that I would help him during the day with +his garden. And I _did_ help him, till every bone in my body ached +with the unusual exertion of digging, and wheeling gravel in a great +barrow. He gave me the hardest work he could possibly find, observing, +as he saw the perspiration streaming down my face, that “you will feel +quite another man to-morrow.” And so I did, for I was so stiff next +morning that I could scarcely raise my hands to my head, to comb my +tawny locks. After the toil of the day I was quite prepared for dinner +that evening, but when the meal had been eaten with keen appetite--for +gardening certainly does create havoc among the dishes--I prepared for +my revenge. + +My friend was quite prepared to give me an opportunity of hypnotizing +him, _if I could_; but he laughed at the absurdity of the idea, +believing it, as he said, all moonshine, and asserting that he could, +by exerting his will against mine, prevent my passes having any power +over him. + +I commenced operations upon him, and to my very great surprise signally +failed. All I could do was to produce a drowsy feeling in him, and +at length I gave it up for the evening, conjecturing that the manual +labour which I had undergone during the day had tired and weakened my +hypnotic powers. My friend was delighted at the failure, and laughed +very heartily at my discomfiture; declaring that the hypnotic power +I exercised was only efficacious in the case of young people and old +women, who had no power of brain to withstand my passes, but simply +gave themselves up to my wishes or will, like so many automata. + +He was good enough, however, to give me another trial next evening, and +that I might not be tired he sent me to the river, at a short distance +from the house, to fish and--get back my “vanished will.” I was very +much piqued, but dare not show it, for my friend is a very demon at +sarcasm; so with rod and line I wandered off, and spent a quiet day, +reserving all my brain energies for the coming mental fray in the +evening. + +In the evening, dinner being over, my friend signified his readiness to +commence, by making idiotic passes at the portraits hanging round the +room, and appeared to imagine that to hypnotize him was a thing not to +be accomplished, at least not by _my_ humble powers. So certain was he +that I should fail, that he was willing to do anything but give up his +will to me. He made fun of my idea of obtaining a story from him, even +if I _could_ put him to “bye-bye,” as he expressed it; and if I did +make him ass enough to divulge anything like a story, I should tell it +when or where I liked, or even publish it for the delectation of the +public; but, as he assured me he did not know a story, he could not see +how I was going to make him tell one. + +All being ready, we commenced our little _séance_, and in two minutes +my victim was in a trance state. In spite of his bumptiousness and +disbelief in my powers, and in hypnotism generally, he related the +following very curious experience in his own career. + + +THE MONK’S PENANCE. + +The profession of glass-painting is not exactly a precarious one, but, +unlike many others, it has neither season nor certainty with it. People +do not usually die to order, consequently, as Death hurls his dart at +irregular intervals, a glass-painter is at one time quite idle, while +at other periods, when he least expects it, the commissions roll in +“thick and threefold.” He cannot spread his work out over the year as +a mother applies jam to the bread of her eager-mouthed offspring; +but when certain work has to be done, the painter has to stick to his +task early and late, or the glass would stand in danger of becoming +“ancient” before it could be inserted in the church for which it is +intended. + +Very well; just at the time the curious incident happened which I +will endeavour to relate, I was busy, very busy, and working in my +studio from nine in the morning till nearly midnight. I was restoring +a large window--the east window of H---- Church, Yorkshire--and had +been requested to have it finished and fixed again for the re-opening +ceremony on Christmas Day. + +It was a late fourteenth-century window, of rare beauty both in colour +and workmanship, and contained many quaintly-drawn figures of saints +and martyrs of all ages. Among them was one figure on which a greater +amount of care had evidently been bestowed than upon any of the others, +especially in regard to the painting of the face, which was probably a +portrait. + +The figure to which I wish to draw attention was that of a Dominican +friar, habited in the garb of his order, black and white in colour, +which made a fine contrast to the ruby background on which the monk was +placed in the window. + +This “light,” as the panel is technically called, was in a very bad +state of repair, and as one of my assistants passed through my studio +on his way home, for he had finished his day’s work, he remarked that a +very little shaking would cause the old monk to fall from the leadwork +and demolish himself. To which I replied by asking him to make it his +first care in the morning to relead the figure, and thus render it +secure for a few more generations, as such fine figures were not very +frequently seen. + +At eight o’clock I was left alone in the studio, as I had determined to +work on till midnight, and get my painting well forward for “firing” +(burning in the vitreous colours). Somehow I can always do a vast deal +more work when alone than when others are present, however quiet they +may be in their movements. There is in solitude nothing to distract the +attention, and one rapidly becomes absorbed in one’s work, which is +more expeditiously and accurately executed. + +Ten o’clock came, and I prepared myself a cup of _café au lait_, and +smoked a cigarette. I cannot smoke and work at the same time, as many +artists have the knack of doing--for either my attention is more on my +cigarette than on my work (which is a loss of time), or I become so +engrossed with my painting that the paper cylinder is forgotten, and +goes out, necessitating frequent and irritating relightings. + +As I puffed my little white tube of Dubec, I could not help taking +another look at the monk in all his glossy rigidity, and the thought +came into my head that being an ecclesiastic of the fifteenth century, +it was just possible that the monk so carefully delineated was a +portrait of the painter of the whole window! + +Why not? + +Who could tell? + +There he hung, upon a glass screen, behind which was a gas-jet, giving +sufficient light for me to be able to discern every detail of the +drawing and painting of the figure. This was more apparent because the +studio in which I stood was in darkness, except for the brilliant light +_behind_ the easel upon which I was working. + +It may be well to point out that the easel used for painting glass upon +is very different to the one in use by artists when painting on canvas, +as it consists of two rectangular wooden frames the front one of which +sustains the easel glass, upon which the various fragments of glass +forming the subject in hand are fastened, by means of a kind of cement +made of wax and resin. The frame immediately behind is covered with +white tissue paper, a material that not only diffuses the light equally +all over the subject which is being painted, but renders the otherwise +bright light soft to the artist’s eyes, and prevents the glare of the +various pieces of coloured glass from making them ache, as they would +do if a naked light were used. Thus, in painting a subject on canvas, +the light is thrown upon the front of the easel, but in painting a +figure for a church window the light is behind it, and passes through +it to show up the transparent colours. + +I sipped my coffee and admired the monk, especially his eyes, which +appeared dark and lustrous and full of life, although his body was of +the lay-figure order, and his hands as absurdly grotesque in pose as +those of a Chinese mandarin on a tea-tray. + +Then I turned my attention to the figure of St. Agnes upon my easel and +painted away again in a most diligent and vigorous manner. + +Eleven o’clock came, and I began to grow sleepy and to give an +involuntary yawn now and again, but I had resolved to work till +midnight, and work I would. + +Half-past, and I was becoming still more drowsy, and for some reason +a certain nervousness seemed to come over me--mental strain and long +hours I suppose; but presently I heard a sound as of glass lightly +jarring against some metallic or hard substance. + +I glanced round and tapped my mahl-stick upon the floor, but no mouse +scurried away responsive to my sh--h--h! so I resumed work. + +A little time elapsed, and again I heard the same rattle of glass; very +quiet, but quite distinct; it was a sharp, bright, but subdued noise, +familiar to my ear as the noise made by glass when touching another +hard substance. + +Again I glanced round: all was silent. Only it seemed to me that the +glass monk solemnly returned my enquiring look with a gaze such as that +with which the Ancient Mariner fixed the wedding guest. + +Work again--then another rattle, louder than before. This time I jumped +up from my seat, opened the door, thinking some one must be outside, +but nothing was to be seen. I looked again at my companion, Friar +Aylmer, and this time, to my astonishment, his eyes seemed to move--to +blink, in fact (for probably, as a religious man, he never learned the +art of winking). I approached, but the eyes were again fixed, fixed +full upon me, whichever way I turned. I simply laughed at myself: of +course I conjectured that the flickering gaslights in the adjoining +room were playing an optical prank upon me. + +I sat down and seized my brushes, determined to finish the figure of +St. Agnes before I left; half-an-hour or so more and I should be ready +to trot homeward to bed. + +As I sat before the easel quietly whistling to keep up my courage and +my spirits, the jingling of glass was once more heard, and this time +such a strange dread seized me that I was positively afraid to turn +my head. Then I heard a soft footfall, and my mahl-stick and brushes +dropped from my palsied hands, as my hair erected itself on my head, +the result of horrific terror. + +Some one approached me--at my left side--and paused. I was simply +petrified with fright; turned to stone, body and limbs; only my brain +retained control of its natural functions. + +I knew, although I could not look, that the painted monk stood at my +side! + +A long pause, in which I could hear my heart beating audibly, and then +a fine, mellow voice at my elbow said-- + +“Good friend, why this fear? I am a man of peace, and would cause no +harm to the least of God’s creatures, much less to thee. Calm thy +perturbed spirit, and, prithee, let us converse for the short time +allotted me once in each century--one short hour!” + +I calmed myself a little, and looked at my weird visitor. His +appearance was very natural, a man of flesh and blood apparently; and +he smiled benignly upon me as he toyed with the knotted ends which +dangled from the thick cord bound about his waist. + +He sat upon a high stool, and my eyes were riveted upon him as if I +were being hypnotized by the strange visitor--indeed, so I was, for his +presence held me spellbound. + +With soothing words he gradually calmed me, and after a long interval, +during which I several times unsuccessfully essayed to speak, I at last +found utterance, and inquired who my midnight visitor might be. + +“My dear friend,” replied the dreaded shade, “listen, and I will tell +you about myself; then, perhaps, you may feel inclined to give me your +assistance.” + +“Assistance? I? How can I assist a spirit, a phantasy? I beg you leave +me and return to your place in the window.” + +“Listen,” said he, in a beautiful voice, which at once dispelled all +alarm from my mind; “listen, and you will soon discover how you can +be of service to me. I pray you do not interrupt, for remember I have +but one short hour in which to assume my earthly form, and if in that +time I cannot obtain mortal aid to release me from my leaden bonds, I +am doomed to resume my form of a painted monk in yon window for yet +another century. But _tempus fugit_, as the motto on the pedestal of +our old sundial used to inform us, and I will not lose another instant. + +“I am Friar Aylmer--the label under my feet in the window is correct, +for I painted it myself, as indeed I did the whole window, and although +I wrought at it for six long years, it was destined at length to become +my prison, as you shall hear. + +“I am not old, as you may judge from my appearance; although nearly +five centuries have rolled by since my birth, I am scarcely forty.” + +I looked at his kindly features and bowed my assent to his assertion, +knowing that stained-glass figures do not grow old when once they are +permanently painted and burnt into the glass. He proceeded-- + +“My father, you must know, was Prior Aylmer, of St. Benet’s Abbey, +Norfolk; and by some means appeared to fall into the evil ways of the +sadly dissolute times in which he lived; at least he made one great +slip, one that he did not try to palliate in any way, but took so to +heart, that till the end of his days he lived an exemplary life, and +gained the love of all those who were under his sway in the great abbey. + +“The monks used to notice that my father spent more time in the village +than was compatible with his monastic life, but then, as ecclesiastics +went in those days, he was a jolly fellow, and no one thought harm of +his frequent absence from the duties of the monastery, till one day an +event happened which set the whole brotherhood agog, and caused much +scandal. + +“It was a simple, but very significant event; one so unusual, that +every one was taken by surprise, so that the whole place was in a +ferment of excitement. + +“It happened that the porter was very late in taking down the great +bars which fastened the huge, heavy, oaken outer gate; so late indeed +that several of the brethren were about at the time, and when the door +swung open on its massive hinges, they saw just what the porter saw--a +long osier-work basket, with a thong of parchment upon it bearing the +words ‘For Father Aylmer.’ + +“The basket was quickly carried to the refectory and placed in the +great arm-chair of the Prior, to await the arrival of that worthy to +take his seat at the head of the table for the morning meal. + +“It had rested there but a short time, when a noise was heard within +which caused a thrill to startle the slowly-assembling monks--it was +the cry of a baby! + +“What was to be done? + +“Who would open the lid? + +“Should the Prior be called? + +“Whatever was best to do? All these questions were cut short by the +entrance of the Prior himself. + +“Every man was immediately silent; mouths were closed, but ears +and eyes were very wide open, and the question was in every one’s +mind--‘What will he do with it?’ + +“He quietly opened the lid, and before all the assembly raised a baby +form to view. + +“That baby was myself! + +“Before them all he blessed me, and in humble tones acknowledged his +sin, at the same time taking an oath upon the crucifix that, till the +grave closed over him, his tongue should not speak to woman more, +neither should his form be seen outside the Abbey walls. + +“He lived thirty-five years after this startling event, but his oath he +kept inviolate, and, as I have already said, he led an exemplary life, +and died beloved and respected by all men, both lay and ecclesiastic. + +“I was placed in the hands of a village dame to nurse, and she, kind +creature, had care of me till I was six years of age, when I was +received into the monastery, and under my father’s guidance instructed +in the various ecclesiastic accomplishments then in vogue. + +“Wood-carving, missal-painting, and finally glass-painting were taught +me, and in them I soon became proficient. These things filled my time +when not studying the usual routine of religious education. As a child +I was a plaything for the monks, who delighted to hear me sing, some of +my efforts, I am sorry to say, being far from a religious nature, and +more fitted for an amorous cavalier than a budding monk. + +“As I grew to man’s estate, my fondness for glass-painting asserted +itself; a fondness which enabled me, more than any other of my +accomplishments, to beautify the old Abbey, although some of +my wood-carving, for stall ends and misereres, was considered +exceptionally fine. + +“As the years rolled on I filled the small aisle windows with stained +glass, and this so pleased the good Abbot, that he requested me to +paint the large east window of the Abbey church. I undertook the task, +but it took me several years to accomplish. + +“Just before the window was completed, I had the sorrow of parting with +my dear father for ever. After a few days’ illness he succumbed to an +attack of fever, and was laid to rest in the burying-ground by the +Abbey wall. My grief was so poignant that for a long time I had not the +heart to finish the great east window, which now wanted but the figure +of another saint to complete it. + +“One night, as I lay in my little cell, the thought came into my head +suddenly, ‘Why not paint a figure of my dear dead father to complete +the window?’ + +“I turned the idea over in my mind and could see no reason why it +should not be so, as for many years my father had been Prior of the +Abbey, second only to the great Abbot himself, and since my birth had +lead a truly pious life, an example to all those who received religious +instruction from his erudite brain. + +“Full of love for my parent’s memory, I painted the figure of a monk +robed in the dress of our order, and from drawings I had made during my +father’s lifetime, I reproduced the features of his dear face as far as +possible. + +“In due time the panel was fixed in its place and the great east window +was at last finished. A grand supper was given in honour of the event, +at which I was complimented upon my untiring energy and skill in +having enriched the Abbey church with such a splendid work of art. The +Abbot avowed it was second to none in the realm, but I was always a +modest man, and took his kind words as complimentary, but nothing more; +I knew he flattered me, and blushed accordingly. + +“That night, when I retired to rest in my cell, I felt peculiarly heavy +and depressed; I ascribed the feeling, however, to reaction after the +excitement of the evening. + +“I stepped into bed, but for a long time could not sleep. I simply +tossed and turned about till long past midnight, when, lying with my +face to the wall, I became aware of a light in the room. I looked +around but could see nothing, although the small cell appeared +unusually light, becoming indeed brighter and brighter, until near the +door the brilliance was so dazzling, that my eyes could not bear to +look upon it. + +“I sat up on my humble wooden bedstead, and endeavoured to pierce the +effulgence, but instead I was forced to close my eyes, for the glare +was positively blinding. Then out of the radiance of glory came a +voice, which from its thrilling accents I knew belonged not to this +earth, and slowly, distinctly, and musically, uttered these words of +dreadful import-- + +“‘O gifted monk, thy skill is great, though thy veneration for holy +things but small; amongst Heaven’s saints thou hast presumed to place +one who, of this earth, was earthy, although doubtless dear to thee. +He whose portrait is shown in the east window--who is not of the +elect--shall stand in his vitreous form as a penance till _accident_ +doth destroy his effigy. He shall know and hear all that passes around, +but except for _one hour in each century_, shall have neither movement +nor speech. _Accident_, not design, can alone cancel this dread +sentence. _Vale._’ + +“I sank back upon my bed trembling with fear, and pinching myself to +see if I was awake or dreaming; but I knew that I was awake, for the +light still illumined the room, although it grew fainter each moment; +till, in the space of perhaps a full minute, it died quite out; the +last portion to melt away being a circular aureole or nimbus, which +remained for some time after the larger blaze of light had disappeared. + +“No sleep drew down my eyelids that long night, and in the morning I +was so ill that I could not rise for matins, and the good Abbot came to +my cell to ascertain the cause of my absence. + +“‘Too much wine, my son, eh?’ he good-humouredly suggested. + +“‘Nay, father, jest not, I pray, for I have a confession to make, if +you will bid my worthy brethren depart.’ + +“We were quickly left alone, and the door being closed, I related +to the Superior my vision of the night, at which his smiling face +gradually became sedate, and even stern, as he listened to my recital +of the strange apparition. + +“‘My son, the long hours spent in study, and the work of painting our +great east window, have been too much for thy teeming brain; thou art +feverish, and require rest. Stay thou in bed for a day or two, and I +will forego thee thy duties. Rest patiently, my son, and be not over +thoughtful of the vision, which was probably but the hallucination of +an overwrought brain.’ + +“‘Nay, father, I need not rest, for the vision I last night saw was +no phantasy of a distraught or wearied brain, but a reality; and it +maddens me to think I may have doomed my father to a purgatory of +centuries. Holy father, will you grant me one request, a simple one +truly?’ + +“‘Ay, my son, that will I, for thou wilt not, I know, ask aught that I +may not in duty readily grant. What is it thou desirest?’ + +“‘Holy father, it is but a small thing. It is that I may be allowed to +take out my father’s portrait from the window and paint my own in its +place!’ + +“‘Hum! Well, well, if you think it will ease your mind you have my +dispensation to do it: one monk’s head is as good as another. I will +quietly give out before the brethren that as you are the painter of +the window, I should rather desire _your_ portrait there, instead +of that of your good father. At this thou must demur, though not so +pertinaciously but that I may override thy entreaties. This and more I +would gladly do for thee.’ + +“In due course my portrait replaced that of my father, and shortly +after I was taken ill with brain fever, and died on my thirty-ninth +birthday. + +“I was placed in a grave by the side of my father, but alas! I did not +rest there; for when next day dawned, behold my soul and understanding +faculties had entered the painted monk, and there, in the east window, +for five centuries I have been cognizant of all things going on around +me, but with no power of speech or movement, except for one all too +brief hour every hundred years. + +“In 1494 I came down from my window, and scared the brethren in the +dear old Abbey, who, crossing themselves, gabbled their Paters and +Aves, and conjured me to go back to my place in the window. I did so, +and then they put out all the candles, rushed from the church, and +locked the door behind them. Left alone, I had not long to reflect on +the awfulness of my position; but in a short time, dreadful as it may +appear, I determined to jump down from my lofty niche in the window, +and endeavour to kill myself, for I had only a _few more minutes to +live_! + +“I ascended to my place beneath the canopy of the window, and, closing +my eyes, bent forward, and hurled myself heavily to the stone floor, +to try if I could break my neck, rather than live in death for another +hundred years. + +“Down I fell--swiftly: but my impact with the floor was as if a feather +had been wafted down from the wing of some passing bird. + +“I was foiled in my wicked attempt to avert my doom, and as I sat on +the encaustic pavement a fiend stood by me, who, with mocking laugh and +leering eye, whispered in a discordant voice in my ear-- + +“‘From the grid to the fire is but poor change; from thy doom up there, +to my cavern below, would not have availed thee much. I am disappointed +in not taking down a monk with me, for monks seldom lay violent hands +on themselves. But he! he! ha!--list to the rusty iron tongue of yon +bell; get thee to thy vigil; into thy niche; I may have thee yet. I +wish thee joy of thy hundred years. Be patient, good monk!’ + +“I was in my niche again ere the rolling boom of the great bell had +ceased to reverberate in the black vastness of night. + +“1594 at length came, and this time I found myself in the east window +of St. F----’s Church, whither I had been transported soon after the +Reformation. Midnight crashed out from the great bell, and I was once +more free for one short, solitary hour--a mere speck in the revolution +of a whole century of time. + +“This time I stepped from my niche rearward into the churchyard, and +made my way into the town, walking boldly into the High Street, without +an idea of what I was about to do, except that I wished to find the +vicar of the church in which I was incarcerated. + +“I accosted two swaggering soldiers, and desired them to kindly tell me +where he lived, but they, being somewhat in liquor, looked at me and +then at each other, and laughed as if I had been some raree show. + +“‘Come, comrade,’ said one, ‘we will show thee the vicar,’ and linking +their arms in mine they dragged me through the street to the Town Hall, +where, thrusting me before them, they forced me into the centre of a +group of boisterous soldiers, who opened out to receive me, evidently +thinking I was some Jack Pudding, masquerading in monk’s attire. They +bandied jests with me, and when I resented their rudeness, they only +laughed the louder, taking my remonstrance as part of my performance, +which they thought most excellent. Knowing my time was short, I became +so angry that they at length found a mistake had been made, and I +forced my way out of the throng, intending to find the vicar’s house by +myself, but, ere I reached the entrance door, I was hauled back into +the presence of the captain of the guard, who had just entered the +hall, and who leisurely proceeded to question me in a very rude and +imperious manner. + +“I objected; and in turn became insolent to him, whereupon he +ordered me to be locked up till morning, that I might be haled before +the magistrate to give an account of myself. At this I saw my last +chance of finding the vicar gone, so, seizing a large sword that lay +on the table, I let drive at the nearest man to me, but he was too +quick for me, and guarded my blow, in turn aiming a blow at me which, +had I not parried, would have cut me in twain. I guarded the stroke +involuntarily, else might my life and penance have been severed at a +blow. + +“Fool that I must have been: next instant I was flying through +space, and before I had time to draw a single breath I was again a +stained-glass figure. + +“1693 gave me one more brief respite from my penance, but it was again +abortive, not bringing any kindly _accident_ for my release. I was +again revivified at midnight, a most inappropriate time, as you will +allow, for one to carry out any important business, such as the release +of a man from centuries of purgatory. During my weary imprisonment I +heard all the news of the period from the gossip of those who chose to +chatter just beneath me; I knew what king reigned, what battles were +fought; all the grand events that took place in England, and even all +the local scandal; but nothing I heard or saw gave me the slightest +interest. I was dumb but could hear; hear and understand all that was +said; but not a ray of hope ever came to me in the way of a plot to +blow up the church, although I heard many plots to demolish the State. + +“Now and again an aimless stone struck one or other of the saints +around me and fractured him or her, but never a one gave me a kindly +blow, although my broad face and tonsured head gave a splendid target +at which a school urchin might have been pleased to try his skill; but +none ever did. + +“On the night of my third revival a terrible storm was raging; the +lightning was flashing most vividly around the old church, and I +longed for a bolt to strike me; but I appeared to bear a charmed +existence, even in the flesh, for although I sat with my back to the +lightning-conductor which came down from the tower, not a spark of the +current touched me, although it toppled over the upper portion of the +spire, and hurled it in shivered atoms at my feet; not a stone from the +falling mass touched me, though I had designedly placed myself in the +way of danger. I sat on a gravestone and pondered what I should do, but +could think of nothing in the way of accident that could befriend me. + +“As I sat thus, two soldiers passed by along the road, and one, on +perceiving me, stopped suddenly and clutched his comrade’s arm in +terror, pointing his finger tremblingly at me. + +“They took me for a ghost. + +“Here was my chance. If they would only fire at me, and kill me, I +should be absolved from my penance. + +“They challenged me, but I answered never a word. + +“Again they hailed. + +“‘Who are you? speak, or we will fire.’ + +“I stood upon tiptoe and faced them, making a weird sound with my lips +that they might take me for something unearthly, and, if they had the +courage, fire upon me. + +“One man raised his flintlock and fired deliberately at me, and the +bullet actually shore off a lock from my temple, which blew away among +the rank wet grass. + +“He looked surprised as I gave a loud, hollow ‘ha! ha!’ as apparitions +and goblins are supposed to do; upon which he turned and fled, leaving +his more courageous comrade to face me alone. He was a noble, brave +fellow, and I blessed him as he knelt by the churchyard wall, upon the +top of which he rested his gun and took deliberate aim at my breast. + +“My heart throbbed for joy as I awaited the releasing leaden missile; +but there was only a puff and a snap, and I knew that only a flash in +the pan had resulted when the soldier drew his trigger. + +“‘Hang the damp powder!’ I heard him say; then in a louder tone--‘Hold, +old Hyter sprite! I’ll have at thee again; stay thee steady till I +prime afresh. I’ll see of what thou’rt made, and whether thou art foul +fiend in priestly guise, or some hair-brained loon who would scare an +old soldier who has fought the battles of his country these twenty +years.’ + +“Then, to my dismay, as he primed his weapon with dry powder the bell +rung out the hour of one, and I found myself amid the saints in the +window again. I saw the soldier go and examine the tomb on which I had +recently stood, and its surroundings, and then stride away after his +comrade, shaking his head, and I mentally blessed him. + +“A hundred years ago--in 1793--I once more gained my life for the +allotted sixty minutes, and knew that in Paris the Revolution was at +its height. But what did that signify to me. St. F----’s Church was +not in Paris, or I might have been released unknowingly by one of the +dreadful bands of ruffians to whom nothing was sacred. + +“I stood in the dark old church and pondered. + +“What _should_ I do? + +“_Where_ could I go? + +“What could I _do_? + +“Nothing, absolutely _nothing_! Stay; I would spend my time in fervent +prayer, kneeling before the cross on the Holy Table, and see if that +could release me from my awful doom. + +“I knelt, and prayed, and wept, wringing my hands as the tears coursed +down my cheeks, like burning streams of molten lava; but as I thus +knelt at my devotions the vestry door of the church opened, and two men +entered, one of them bearing a lantern. They paused near the communion +rails, and one (by whose attire I judged him to be the vicar) said: + +“‘Now, Giles, I may have dropped it here whilst performing the evening +service, and if so we should see the stone glitter by the light of the +lantern; let us look around the chancel.’ + +“The speaker had evidently lost a gem ring and was seeking it. + +“Not knowing what to do I continued kneeling, to see what course events +might take. I had not long to wait, for a sudden shrill scream, a moan, +and a dull thud caused me to look round. Down the nave bounded the +man who bore the lantern, yelling lustily for help, and his companion +lay prone upon his face quite near me. I approached, bent over the +prostrate form, and turned the body over on its back--for body only it +was, the soul had fled. Happy man! he could die and be at rest, while +I, who courted death in any form, could only be--(Boom! the bell tolled +One)--a quaint, stiff, transparent figure of glass! + + * * * * * + +“And now, my dear friend (for you _will_ befriend me if it is in your +power, I know, after hearing my awful story) I find myself in 1893 in +your studio, and to my horror hear that I am to be bound in fetters of +new leadwork: a new lease, as it were, of my penance! + +“My time is short; what can you do for me? + +“How can you destroy me? + +“How _can_ a catastrophe be brought about without premeditation? How +can one _think_ without premeditation? + +“My friend, save me! but five minutes remain. I cannot think, my brain +is on fire. + +“My dear friend, think for me, I implore you! + +“Oh! Heaven help me; do not extend my penance till the crack of doom! + +“Watch the minutes gliding by--but two remain. + +“I am going mad; mad! and you sit there dumb, who might, by an effort +of thought, be my saviour. + +“_One_ minute; and then--purgatory for one hundred years!” + +I looked at my guest and saw the great beads of perspiration chasing +each other down his temples; I saw his fingers writhing like serpents, +clutching at the empty air; I saw his eyes glaring upon me, and +piercing me through like two arrows; I saw him rise as if to fly at +me and strangle me, and recoiled with horror at the sight of him; but +he never came a step nearer for the bell of the neighbouring church +struck a big, reverberating _One!_ and as the corporeal figure of the +monk began quickly to dissolve into its glassy form, I sprang at it not +knowing what I did, and tried to grasp it, but my arms pierced through +it as if it were tissue paper, and I fell headlong upon the floor, with +a terrible pain in my forehead, and as I fell I distinctly heard the +words--“Joy and rest for ever; my doom is past! God in His mercy be +praised!” + + * * * * * + +When I recovered consciousness it was 8.30 a.m., and a doctor and +my assistants were round me, using various restoratives. Across my +forehead was a terrible gash, which the doctor had sewn and bandaged, +and at the foot of the glass screen lay the broken fragments of my +visitor, the Monk. + + * * * * * + +To show that it does not always do to rely on one’s own strength, +either physically or mentally, I may say that not only did I obtain +complete control over the will of my stained-glass artist friend, +but taking him at his word, I received from his unconscious self the +material for _several_ capital stories; and all this from the man who +could neither be hypnotized nor tell a single story! The overplus of +this glass-painter’s genius as a story-teller I reserve for future +consideration. + + + + +IX. + +INTRODUCTION TO “DOCTOR ANGUS SINCLAIR.” + + +Wherever I happen to be, whether in town or at a seaport, the sight +of a genuine tar has a fascination for me, and I feel bound to speak +to the man, if he is at all a decent person and has a civil and clean +tongue. I find that the average sailor is a very reticent fellow on +first acquaintance, probably taking every landsman for a shark; and as +that is his belief, he is very wary of strangers who may wish to engage +him in conversation. No doubt, in ports all over the world, Jack meets +with plenty of unprincipled people, ready to take advantage of him in +any way that presents itself, and, knowing this, he is consequently on +his guard, and in time looks with doubt upon all strangers, as possible +enemies, sailing under false colours. Thus is Jack taciturn on first +acquaintanceship, both at home or abroad, but when once he finds that +he has a friend to deal with, his tongue is loosened and the bulkhead +of cautious reserve soon battered down, and he will then fire off his +jokes and yarns in a most amicable and boisterous manner. + +Old John Beamish, whom I met in the port of Aberdeen, was one of +these peculiarly reserved men, carrying his character in his face, as +a stout, true, hard-headed North Briton; and it was only after several +friendly “cracks” that I could at all thaw the apparently austere +Captain Beamish. + +The gallant skipper no doubt put me down as a bad lot, seeing that I +lived in a gipsy-van, and when I informed him that I only wandered +about for my own pleasure, tapped his short fat forefinger on his +nose, which I took to be a sign that my statement was somewhat open to +doubt. He could not conceive that any sane person, with a fair income, +should live on wheels, with no permanent address, when the said income +would provide “a nice snug little house, with a tidy bit of garden, a +summer-house, and a tall flagstaff, for its possessor.” + +However, after I had persuaded the captain to pay me several visits, +he came to the conclusion that I might by some chance be speaking the +truth after all, and we had several pleasant evenings, which were +passed in chatting, cards, and whisky. Captain John loved cribbage very +much, but whisky more; and, on one or two occasions, I had to steady +him as he took his departure from my van, the step-ladder, or companion +as he called it, being very steep. + +When I broached the subject of hypnotism the good man was unfeignedly +alarmed, and I fully believe placed my cards, whisky, and hospitality +down to a bad cause. I think he expected I had been luring him on to +rob him, or take some other advantage of him, and for several days I +could not prevail upon him to spend another evening with me, until I +informed him that I was to depart in a day or two. Then I invited him +to pay me a farewell visit. My invitation was accepted, and he came, +but I very soon noticed one thing, and that was, that he had left his +watch at home. + +He played and drank as usual, and as the evening wore on he mellowed +under the influence of “mountain dew.” With each successive draught his +uneasiness gradually disappeared, until he became quite communicative; +and then--well then, feeling for all the world like a murderer--I added +him to the number of my victims. + + +DOCTOR ANGUS SINCLAIR. + +I have--as seaman, mate, and skipper--in forty years seen some curious +sights, you may be sure, although all my voyages have been to the +north, ay, and pretty far north too, some of them; for we whalers have +to go wherever the fish are to be found, and if we cannot find them +near home, why, we have just got to go north and search till we do fall +in with them. + +You want to know the most wonderful thing I ever came across in my +long life of hardship and adventure in the Arctic Seas? Well, there is +nothing that I know of to equal the finding of Doctor Angus Sinclair +in 1862. But as you want it spun properly I’ll give you the yarn from +beginning to end, and then you’ll see for yourself what a curious +adventure it was. + +In 1862 I was mate of the _White Swan_ whaler, sailing from the port +of Dundee, and as we had made a very poor fishing during the previous +season in the Greenland Sea, our skipper made up his mind to try fresh +ground, and to steer north-eastward to the Spitzbergen Islands, as he +knew of some likely ground to the eastward of those islands. + +The most eastern of the Spitzbergen Isles is one called Wyches, +or King Charles’s Island, and our skipper made straight for this +island, intending to build a hut there, and make it a kind of winter +habitation, should we be obliged to go into winter quarters before +getting a full cargo. Our owner had instructed the skipper to take +what oil he could get of the right sort, but, if he could not obtain a +full cargo, to wait till he could fill up with something else--by this +meaning seal-pelts, seal-oil, bear’s robes, walrus’ tusks or skin, or +anything else worth the freight. + +Having all our outfit aboard we left Dundee, touched at Tromso, and in +a fortnight arrived safely at Wyches Island, where we stayed about a +week to build a large and comfortable hut, with timber brought with us +from Dundee. Holes were dug into the everlastingly frozen ground, and +posts erected, upon the outsides of which inch boards were nailed, and +afterwards upon the inside also. This formed a double skin, leaving +a space of some six inches between, which was filled with sawdust +tightly rammed down. The roof was made in the same way, and when it was +finished the whole of the interior was lined with thick felt. + +There were four double-glazed windows facing the cardinal points, and +only one door facing south-west. This door was well draped in thick +blanketing to keep out the cold blasts of air. Bunks were ranged round +the walls, and a large stove for cooking and heating purposes stood +in the centre of the floor. Round the stove, forming three sides of a +square, stood deal tables, for dining and other purposes. Such was our +“Swan’s Nest,” as we christened it, and we afterwards found it very +cosy. + +Between Spitzbergen and Franz Joseph Land we cruised during the summer +and autumn with fair success, but when the time came that we should for +safety be sailing southward and homeward, we found that our cargo was +not nearly a full one. Seeing this, the skipper had a grand “palaver” +on deck, in which he did nearly all the talking, and informed the crew +that he had decided to winter in White Swan Inlet; and finding that +one or two of the crew were for going home and returning in the early +spring, he gave them leave to do so, but also pointed out that if they +were mammy sick, and wished to go home, they would have to _walk_ there! + +Our crew numbered forty hands all told, and a fine, jolly lot of +fellows they were, living very harmoniously together, splitting up +naturally into parties for fishing and shooting expeditions, when +the weather would allow of it. Some of these excursions were for the +benefit of our owner, as the skipper and I each headed parties to hunt +bears, and to knock over a few seals now and again. At other times the +parties were for the purpose of replenishing the larder, as we learnt +to snare white foxes, geese, and other things of a furry or feathered +nature; whatever we obtained went into the huge cauldron which always +stood on the stove, _à la_ the French _pot au feu_. By the way, our +stove was as carefully watched as any sacred lamp in a continental +cathedral, for it was never allowed to show even a symptom of going +out, either by night or day. + +Sometimes we would organize little exploring parties on our own account +(having first obtained the skipper’s sanction), and wandered away for +miles among the hills of the frozen island, thus leaving more space for +those who remained at home to play their indoor games. Could any of +our friends have looked into the “Swan’s Nest,” they might easily have +mistaken it for a boys’ school, or even a play-ground. Let me just give +you an idea of what the inmates did to pass their time away, from notes +of the scene jotted in my pocket-book on one occasion. + +Two men were cooking for the general mess. The armourer was cleaning +or repairing guns, knives, etc., for some projected expedition, while +round the fire sat a noisy group telling yarns and smoking. Near them +sat a party of four playing some game of cards; a desperate game +apparently, for they looked very solemn and absorbed. The boys were +enjoying a game of leap-frog at one end of the room, while several of +the bunks were occupied by men, some of whom were asleep, a couple on +the sick list, and others reading. There was a man, the cobbler of the +crew, mending boots, while at his side sat Snip, sewing away at the +seat of a pair of duffel trousers, what he calls armour-plating them; +and along the north side was a skittle alley, at which a knot of tars +are very much enjoying themselves, if we might judge by the shouts of +merriment and hearty smacks upon the back with which they salute each +other. + +Hands behind his back by the stove, with his legs thrust apart like +a pair of compasses, stood the skipper, sipping a glass of something +steaming hot, while your humble servant had just finished posting up +the ship’s journal; for the skipper was a poor hand with the pen, his +fingers being all thumbs, and his thumbs like stun’sail booms. + +Well, now that I have shown you how we amused ourselves, I will proceed +with my yarn. + +Ever since I was quite a nipper I have had a fondness for exploring and +roaming about whenever I could get off duty, and this propensity did +not desert me amid the snow and ice of the Arctic regions, as you shall +hear. + +I begged the skipper to allow me to make a tour of the island on which +we were living; a tour having for its object the making of an accurate +map; one, at any rate, more accurate than that at the time laid down in +the charts. + +He met me with a flat and decided “No!” + +“Why, man, are you mad? The island we are on is as large as the +principality of Wales, and to compass it you would have to travel at +least four hundred miles, which would probably mean an absence of nine +or ten weeks! No, my man, this is not _quite_ a lunatic asylum; not +yet, at all events.” + +It was no use pleading, but his refusal set my back up, as the men +twitted me (not to my face, but indirectly), with wanting to be a +circumnavigator of the world on my own account. + +Two of them would waddle round the tables, and, when they met, pretend +they had not seen each other for years, and shake hands and embrace +in a most enthusiastic manner, to the delight of the crew and my own +chagrin. + +One day, the weather being clear, the skipper brought out his big +telescope, and was very busy with it, taking long surveys at a distant +island lying due south of the Inlet. He requested me to get the charts +of the Spitzbergen group down, which I did. + +“Now look here,” said he, addressing me; “that island to the south’ard +is laid down in the chart as a mere rock, and only indicated by a big +dot and the words ‘rocks of some extent.’ Now, by my glass, it looks +a tidy big island, at least six or eight miles from east to west, and +goodness knows how long from north to south. I can see parts of it +which must rise to a height of several hundred feet, and probably the +whole island would take some three or four days to travel round on the +rough ice. Now what do you say to take two or three hands and go and +explore it?” + +“What do I say?--why jump at it with pleasure, of course; but give me a +couple of days to get ready, and allow me to pick my crew.” + +This was assented to, and in the three days allotted I rigged up one of +the small boats on runners, loaded it with felt sleeping-bags, a tent, +small stove, guns, provisions, a lamp, and many other things that might +be required. + +On the third day I started off with four men, who were as eager for +the expedition as myself, being only too glad to undertake anything +for a change from the monotonous hut life. We were granted six days +to be away; if we had not returned by the end of that time a search +party would be sent out to seek us. We were instructed to plant a rod +with a piece of red bunting at our various halting-places, so that if +necessary our steps might easily be followed. + +As we started off the whole ship’s company came out to bid us farewell, +and it made our hearts bound with joy and pride, when we heard their +voices, with loud “hurrahs,” make the surrounding icy peaks of these +Arctic solitudes echo again. + +We had ten miles to scramble over the excessively rough ice which lay +between our winter quarters and the island. Six or eight of our mates +came half-way with us, to give us a hand in dragging our sledge-boat. + +It was terrible hard work, and the first five miles took us six hours +to accomplish, as the ice was in some places piled in hummocks twenty +and even thirty feet high; round these we had to make a _détour_, so +that our course was very meandering and uncertain. + +We made a halt and refreshed, each of us having a cup of hot coffee to +drink with the meal we had brought with us. We could see the “Swan’s +Nest” built on the side of a hill facing south-west, and, not a couple +of hundred yards away, was our vessel, the _White Swan_, frozen solidly +into the ice. Her topmasts and heavy gear had been sent down and stowed +on deck, which from stem to stern was covered in with a span roof of +timber; so that she looked something like a long black shed, with three +tall chimneys thrust through the roof. + +After half-an-hour’s halt our comrades left us and returned to the +“Swan’s Nest,” hoping to see us again in six days at furthest. + +After a long and rough scramble we at length reached the island, +and selecting a nook between two rocky cliffs, erected our tent and +prepared everything to pass the night there. The rocks on three sides +kept the wind off famously, what little there was, and to give some +protection from any bears who might be prowling about, we drew the +sledge across the narrow entrance to our nook; the stove we rigged up +at the mouth of the tent. We cooked a kind of stew, had a pannikin of +hot coffee each, and then, drawing sleeping-bags over our legs up to +our waists, sat and played cards by lantern light till we were ready +for slumber, when we drew the bags completely over our heads and slept +soundly till it was time to be up and stirring. + +So far everything had been quiet and comfortable, but while we were +consuming our breakfast, one of the men named Adams went to the boat +for some more ship’s bread, and was in the act of taking it from the +bag in which it was kept when a huge white bear put his nose over +the side of the boat and opened its mouth, just as you see them in +menageries when a biscuit is about to be tossed to them. He appeared to +say, + +“Don’t forget me, mate.” + +Adams, far from being frightened, stooped and picked up an axe from +the floor of the boat, and swinging it aloft brought it down so as to +strike the animal fairly on the head, and had he succeeded he would +probably have killed it instantaneously, as he was a powerful man. + +The bear was too quick for him, however, and dodged the intended blow, +so that the axe, instead of being buried in the furry one’s skull, +found a billet in the side of the boat, where it was wedged so tightly +by the force of the blow, that Adams could not withdraw it. He turned +round to jump out and run to us, but the bear, rising on its hind legs, +caught him a blow in the ribs which sent him with a crash into the +bottom of the boat. + +The bear still stood on its hind legs, roaring and looking very +wicked--offering a capital mark for our rifles, three of which were +aimed at the monster at the same time. Two almost simultaneous reports +rang out, and the monster fell: my piece failed to go off--a bad cap I +found afterwards, for breechloaders were not then in general use. We +made a rush upon our fallen foe to give him the _coup de grâce_, but +the terrible fellow was quite dead, from a shot through the eye, which +had doubtless penetrated the brain. Two of his claws had been carried +away by the other bullet, which came very near missing altogether. + +Adams lay in the bottom of the boat perfectly conscious, and looking at +us, but giving occasional groans. + +“Are you hurt?” we asked. + +“Hurt, mates? I’m afraid to move, for fear my whole starboard side is +stove in. Give us a hand, one of you; steady--gently now.” + +He rose with difficulty, and we carried him to the tent and examined +his side. No bones were broken, but from the armpit to the waist was a +terrible bruise upon which we rubbed a good coat of the bear’s fat, on +the principle that like cures like. + +Fearing that he would be an incumbrance to us, he determined to +start back to the “Swan’s Nest” alone, as he could not pull on the +sledge-ropes; so shouldering his rifle the plucky fellow returned +across the icy wilderness, and reached our quarters safely (as we +afterwards found), tired and sore in every limb, after a tramp and +clamber of twelve hours. + +We skinned the bear, rolling up the robe and placing it in the boat, +and then commenced our tour of the island. + +We had made the island on the north shore, and gradually worked round +along the east coast, till we arrived at the south, where we discovered +a nearly land-locked harbour of considerable extent, which we entered, +finding it covered with quite smooth ice, smooth enough, in fact, +for skating, which is a somewhat rare occurrence in these regions. +The Ancient Mariner had “water, water everywhere, but not a drop to +drink,” while in the far north we have ice and snow everywhere, but +not a place to skate. The harbour was surrounded by steep cliffs of +great height and snow-clad, but still a cosy-looking place for winter +quarters for a whaler. + +As we looked around these wall-like cliffs, we were startled by the +sight of what appeared to be a solid-looking hut, built in a hollow, +over which the great brown cliffs lowered as if they would fall and +crush it. A steep, pathless, snowy slope led up to this strange +dwelling, which no sooner caught sight of than, like a lot of boys just +let out of school, we, with one accord, dropped our sledge-tugs and +bounded up the craggy acclivity to see what it contained. + +Sure enough it _was_ a hut, and of fair size too, built with its rear +supported by the rocky cliffs, which had been hollowed out to receive +it. Two windows, heavily barred, looked out over the frozen sea below, +and between them was the heavy door, from a hole in which depended a +thin metal chain. I seized the chain and gave it a pull, which raised a +bar of wood within, causing the door to swing open of its own accord. + +We looked within, but the interior was so dark that little was +visible, even with the door open; but we could see a piece of blanket +or battered sail stretched from side to side of the cabin, so as to +divide it into two apartments, and we could also discern a rough, +ancient-looking chair, and several large articles. I stepped in and +drew the curtain aside; I say _drew_ it aside, but it really fell apart +in my hand as I endeavoured to do so. Anyhow, enough of it was removed +for me to see a most gruesome sight; for there, in the dim light, I +could dimly discern the figure of a dead man, sitting by a table or +bench, and, as may be supposed, the sight made me recoil against my +comrades, whom I so imbued with my fright, that we all rushed out of +the hut together. + +Telling them what I had seen, I sent one of them to the boat for the +lantern, so that we could obtain a light, and enter again into the +inner apartment of the hut. + +The lantern being brought, we crowded in quietly together, I being +foremost with the light, and there, sure enough, sat a man at the +table in such an attitude that, had we not known he must be dead, we +should have thought he was simply asleep. He looked about sixty years +of age, and possessed very fine intellectual features; but on closer +examination we were surprised to find that his beard, instead of being +an ordinary one of, say, a few inches long, or even an extraordinary +one of a growth reaching to the waist, was of such an abnormal length +that it not only reached the floor, but lay there in a huge tangled +mass; nor was his hair a whit behind, as it fell in tresses over the +back of the chair, and was actually frozen to the floor all around him. +His eyebrows, too, hung down over his eyelids touching his cheeks, +and as for his finger-nails!--well, they were as long and pointed as +“the quills upon the back of the fretful porcupine.” His toe-nails had +pierced his shoes, and extended beyond his toes a foot or more. + +We gazed in silence, being struck speechless with amazement at the +marvellous sight, and for some time our eyes were so riveted on the +strange object before us, that we forgot each other’s presence. + +My voice first broke the silence, but as I spoke my words seemed a +kind of sacrilege to the presence and awful silence and solemnity of +the dead man before us. + +“Well, mates, what do you make of this?” I asked. + +No one knew what to make of it, but old Johnson, our carpenter, asked-- + +“What’s that thing on the table in front of him?” + +I held the lantern closer, to what appeared to be a curiously-shaped +box; it was tall, and narrow, and of an octagonal form. + +Drawing it towards me I raised the lid, for it was not locked, and +discovered another small case within it. This I also opened, and within +I found a roll of parchment, on which was clearly written in a bold +black lettering, the following words-- + + “SOUTH ISLAND, SPITZBERGEN, + “_August 17, 1773_. + + “_To whomsoever may find me._ + + “I, Doctor Angus Sinclair, of Arbroath, Scotland, am the discoverer + of a liquid which, injected into a vein, will suspend life for any + length of time. I have chosen this spot in which to carry out an + experiment to prove to the world that a person may sleep for any + period he chooses; and by the aid of an antidote (which I have also + discovered) may be awakened at any appointed time. + + “I wish to remain dormant for one hundred years or more, and should + any one discover me before that time, let him kindly forbear to + awaken me. + + “_Directions to restore Animation._ + + “Make an incision in a vein of my arm, and inject therein a few + drops of the liquor in the blue bottle; in a few minutes I shall + be restored to consciousness. A little hot drink of any kind will + greatly facilitate my revival.” + +When I finished reading the strange document, we looked at each other, +then at the doctor, and then at each other again, not quite knowing +what to do; but I presently sufficiently recovered from my surprise to +hold the lantern close to the old fellow’s face, when we were startled +to find that the colour still remained in his cheeks, and that the +body, instead of being frozen hard, was quite soft and fleshlike. + +We lifted the old man from his chair, and tried to lay him out on the +floor, but his joints were so set fast that we could not straighten +them, so replaced him in his seat. + +“Hold on, mates, let us see what the bottles are like,” I said, for I +could see the necks of three projecting from the box. + +“Ah! here’s the blue one, and on it a label. Let us see what it says. +‘Liquor to restore Animation. Make an incision in the left arm and pour +in about six or eight drops.’ That’s the one we want, mates, but let us +see what the others contain. Here is a red bottle, and the label says, +‘Aid to Restoration. Infuse a teaspoonful in a gill of warm water, and +give the patient to drink.’” + +Old Matt Johnson set about finding some bits of driftwood to make a +fire, for there was a stove in the cabin; while another ran to the boat +to procure some water and a saucepan. + +A fire was soon started, and the water made hot: then came the +momentous question-- + +“Who will be surgeon?” + +We doubted very much that the specifics in the bottles would have any +effect upon the old fellow, who could scarcely be expected to awaken to +life again after a sleep of ninety years. The document intimated that +one hundred years was the time the doctor wished to slumber, but we +thought ninety years quite long enough for a first trial; it would be +a record for the world, and beat the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus and Rip +Van Winkle hollow. + +Before commencing to operate on our patient, we examined the other +bottle, which was labelled “Sleeping Draught. A. S., 1773. Dose, ten +drops with sugar.” This we replaced in the box, none of us wishing just +then to try its effects. + +Johnson at last agreed to make the incision, or as he called it, “the +slot,” and taking out his jack-knife he whetted it on a piece of stone, +giving it a few rubs on his boot to take off the roughness, and then +proceeded to rip up the doctor’s coat-sleeve. It was one of those +tight-fitting lappeted coats, in vogue during the second half of the +last century, and quite in keeping with the date on the parchment--1773. + +By the way, on scrutinizing the document once more, we discovered these +words written on the back-- + + “At his own request I leave Dr. Sinclair on this island, and have + promised to inform the harbour masters at whaling ports on the Scotch + coast that he may be found on South Island if one of them will put in + for him. He wishes to carry out several experiments of a scientific + nature during the winter of 1772-73. + + “(Signed), CAPTAIN PHIPPS, + “Naval Surveyor to H.M. King George III.” + +“Now, Chipps,” said I to old Johnson, “are you ready?” + +“Aye, aye, sir,” said he, flourishing his knife, “ready and eager for +the fray. Where shall I stick him, sir?” + +“Be careful, now,” I replied, “and make a little hole just there,” and +I pointed to a vein on the left forearm. + +Johnson jabbed his knife in as if he were about to kill a pig: it made +a wound an inch long and an inch deep, but, strangely enough, no blood +flowed. With the aid of a piece off the stem of a tobacco pipe, I +injected a few drops of the liquid from the blue bottle, and with open +mouths and straining eyes we stood by to watch the result. + +Several minutes went by without any apparent effect being noticeable +on the old doctor. We felt his pulse, or rather his wrist, for he was +as pulseless as the figurehead of a ship, and then tried his heart. We +endeavoured to open his mouth to pour in a few drops of the liquor from +the red bottle (which we had mixed with warm water), but his teeth were +so tightly clenched that we could not give him the “Aid to Restoration.” + +As we gazed earnestly upon our patient we fancied we saw a movement of +his shaggy eyebrows, but put it down to the wind which found its way +into the cabin through the open door. + +We watched again, and this time, to our great surprise, we saw a +twitching at the corners of the mouth, sufficient to cause a movement +of the heavy moustache. + +I poured in three drops more from the blue bottle, and in a few minutes +saw the head of our patient slowly lift and fall back again on his +chest. + +We tried his mouth again, and this time succeeded in opening his jaws +sufficiently wide to force a few drops of the warm liquid into his +throat. + +Just then two of the men called out simultaneously that the wound in +his arm was bleeding. Sure enough such was the case, so, whipping +out my handkerchief, I bound up the gaping gash which our friend the +carpenter had made. + +Slowly the old doctor regained his suspended animation and moved on his +chair, and when I raised his eyebrows, which hung down over his eyes +like the hair on the forehead of a Skye terrier, I found that his eyes +were partially open. + +Quietly taking my knife from my pocket I gently cut off the long locks +of hair, so that the old man could see about him if he really did come +to, after his ninety years’ sleep. + +He made me start as I shore off his second eyebrow, for he gave a +sudden shudder which caused him to tremble from top to toe. + +Presently his eyes unclosed a little, and then a little more, till +they gradually opened to their widest extent; but no animation or +speculation was in them--they were the staring optics of a doll or a +corpse. + +His hands next began to tremble, and we could see the life creeping +into his cramped limbs; and then his lips gave signs of movement. We +took the opportunity to give him the remainder of the liquid in the red +bottle mixed with water, and the effect was wonderful, for in about +half-a-minute the tall figure of Doctor Sinclair half rose, and like a +man suffering from delirium tremens, uttered the fierce exclamation of +“You rascal!” and fell back on the seat again. + +We scuttled out of the cabin like a lot of frightened children, +jostling and falling over each other in our eagerness to escape from +the presence of the awful-looking being we had brought to life and +action. + +After running some distance down the pathway or slope, we halted and +looked back, as if we expected the Ancient One to follow us, but as he +did not make his appearance we gradually and stealthily returned, and +emboldened by neither seeing nor hearing anything of the being within, +took courage to push the door of the cabin open. + +We even went further and looked in, and there we saw the gaunt figure +of Doctor Sinclair with palzied hands trying to erect itself by the +friendly support of the massive oak table. His legs were so cramped, +and, as it were, rusty by his long trance, that he could not straighten +them properly, and so weak as to be nearly useless to support his +frame. He was a terrible-looking figure as he peered over the table +at us, with his grey beard and hair of unheard-of growth flowing down +before and behind him in unkempt profusion. + +He moaned and mumbled; and then, with a great effort, tried to reach +us by concentrating his feeble energies and making a rush at us, but +his feet became entangled in his beard, his legs tottered, and down he +came, crash upon the hard floor, to all appearances dead. + +Then our scattered senses returned to us, and being ashamed of +ourselves and our cowardice, we rushed to pick him up, and once more +to seat him upon his chair. A little brandy was administered, and +presently we had the satisfaction of seeing him regain consciousness. + +The fire was replenished, and the doctor laid tenderly in his berth +and snugly covered up. We warmed some tinned soup, which refreshed him +marvellously; so much so that he found his voice, and quietly asked, to +our surprise-- + +“What year is it?” + +“Eighteen hundred and sixty-two,” we replied. + +“What king is reigning in England,” he asked. + +“No king,” was my reply, “but a queen--Victoria.” + +These answers seemed to satisfy him, for he smiled, and smiling fell +into a sound sleep. + +“Well, here’s a rummy go,” quoth Chips. + +To which we all replied that it was indeed a strange adventure, and +upon looking towards the old wooden cot one could hardly believe that +the tremendous mass of white seaweed-looking substance trailing from +the blanket to the floor, where it lay coiled like a heap of oakum, was +ever the growth of a human head; there it was, however, proof positive +before our astonished eyes. + +Well, I must not spin my yarn out too long, or I may get it like the +old man’s hair--into a tangle. + +We stayed at the hut two days, during which the old doctor appeared to +gather strength hourly; so much so that, with assistance, he could walk +several yards, and nearly straighten his legs and back. + +We made him a comfortable couch in the sledge-boat, covering him with +the bear’s skin and a blanket, and all being in readiness we started +back northward to Swan Inlet, having abandoned all idea of completing +our survey of South Island, at least for the present. + +We hoisted a large piece of red bunting at the prow of our sledge, and +when we had arrived within about four miles of our destination, we +could, with my binocular, discern little black figures leaving the +“Nest” and coming over the ice to assist us back. + +We halted between two ice hummocks, got out our stoves, and prepared +a savoury meal of bear steaks and tinned soup, both of which, in such +intense cold, were exceedingly welcome. + +By the time our repast was completed and we had again got under weigh, +the foremost of our comrades were nearly within hail. We soon rejoined +them, and were very glad of their assistance to help us to tug our +increased load over the rough hummocky ice. + +We said not a word of our newly-found hairy man, for fear they might +want to see him, and thus cause him annoyance. We wished to drag the +sledge close to the shore, so that we could carry him right into the +cosy “Swan’s Nest” at once, and put him to bed. + +As we proceeded over the frozen ice and neared home, other men kept +coming out to meet us, till all but about half-a-dozen of the whole +forty were tailing on to the ropes, and taking the sledge along at a +smart trot. + +They could tell that there was some mystery attached to the +carefully-covered object in the stern, and it was useless for us to try +and put them off by saying it was only a heap of bear robes, for now +and again the object moved. They would have uncovered it to see what +was there, but I sternly forbade them to do so. Guesses of all kinds +were made as to what the mysterious heap consisted of, but although +many tried to unravel the secret not one succeeded. Some guessed young +bears, another a nest of foxes--others said seals, and one averred it +could be nothing but a young walrus, from its size and shape, but none +hit upon anything near the truth. + +The inlet was reached at last, the sledge travelling over the smooth +ice of the haven at a great pace, but not before our gallant skipper +was ready on the beach to welcome me and my men back. + +We shook hands, and I then told the men to stand back, as I had +something I wished to tell the captain. They stood away a few yards, in +a circle, so as to completely surround us and the sledge, as if they +were afraid it contained something that might escape. Hurriedly I told +the captain the principal points of our adventure. He was struck all of +a heap, as our American cousins say, and was at first disinclined to +credit my story of apparently superhuman return to life. + +However, he quietly lifted the blanket, and looking at the uncanny +creature beneath, their eyes met. The captain started as if he had seen +a savage lion, but quickly regaining his equanimity, gave orders for +four hands to bring down a “barrow,” as the implement (which looks like +a bier) is called. Twenty hands started for the barrow, and in five +minutes the doctor was lying on it, while Chips and I walked behind +with his surplus beard and hair coiled in our hands, to prevent it from +trailing on the ground and throwing the bearers down. + +The doctor was put to bed, well fed for two or three days, at the end +of which time he could stand, and even walk a short distance alone; +and within three weeks was able to form one of the members of our +shooting-parties, and although fifty-eight years of age, was as strong +and hearty a man as any of us. + + * * * * * + +Spring at last came, and by July we had a full cargo; consequently, +on the last of that month, we steered south-west, homeward bound for +bonny Scotland and the relatives we had been parted from so long. + +The doctor, of whom we had grown fond, was a very cheery companion, +and looked a strange figure as he walked about the deck, with his +carefully-combed and brushed hair and beard coiled neatly round his +waist, and usually fastened off with a bit of scarlet bunting. + +The wildness of his hilarity seemed at times to point to an unhinged +mind, and as the good ship _White Swan_ neared her destination, he +became so excited that pronounced symptoms of madness appeared. These +symptoms increased so rapidly, that when within about five hundred +miles of Aberdeen, the poor doctor had to be locked in the captain’s +cabin. He refused all food, and when it was placed inside the door +instantly flung it into the sea from the stern windows. + +“Only one more night and part of a day,” said the skipper, “and we +shall be in Aberdeen, if this breeze holds, when we will immediately +have a doctor on board to see to our poor friend and companion, +Sinclair.” + +But it was not to be so; for next morning, when the captain went to the +cabin to ask the doctor how he fared, as was his custom several times +during the day, although he only got abuse for his pains, and even +threats of violence, he received no answer. + +He knocked and knocked again without obtaining a reply, and mounting +the companion peered into the cabin through the skylight; but not a +trace of Doctor Sinclair was to be seen. + +Finally the cabin door was burst open, and to the regret of all it was +found that the doctor had disappeared. There was no mystery about it, +for it was a clear case of self-destruction while of unsound mind: he +had leaped out of one of the stern windows and drowned himself. + +On reaching port our yarn was soon spread abroad, but of course laughed +at by every one, as we had no proof that Doctor Angus Sinclair had ever +existed, except in our imagination. True, we had the three bottles +and the parchment, and these were in due time sent to the College of +Physicians in London, where they were analyzed and commented upon in +the medical journals. + +What little remained of the “Suspender of Animation” was given to +rabbits and dogs, and it really had such a soporific power that they +could not be awakened, and, as long as they were kept in an atmosphere +below 25°, they remained without signs of decay, even for years after. + +Unfortunately, we had used, in restoring the old doctor to animation, +all the contents of the blue bottle--three drops excepted. The +contents of the red bottle proved, on analysis, to be a concentrated +quintessence of brandy, which accounts for the doctor requiring it to +be mixed with hot water before being administered. + +His idea was that animation might often be usefully suspended in +the case of persons out of work, on a voyage, or in embarrassed +circumstances; that many, who wished to skip over, as it were, a +few years of life,--either for the purpose of evading creditors, or +escaping the nagging tongue of a contentious wife--would welcome his +discovery and hail it, indeed, as the greatest of all possible boons. + +Certain it is that had the doctor lived to patent his idea, he would +have completely revolutionized the social world. If our skipper had +only clapped on the “darbies” when he put the doctor in his cabin, we +might now be living in strangely-altered times. + +Just pause and deliberate on what wonders might have happened, but for +the untimely madness and death of Doctor Angus Sinclair. + +You, gentle reader, will probably come to the conclusion that my yarn +is like Heathen mythology--very fair reading, but without much to +recommend it in the way of truth. + +If, however, you should require further proof of the authenticity of my +story, you have only to fit out a suitable yacht, sail for Spitzbergen, +hunt about for South Island, and having found it, you will probably +also find the hut just as I have described it, perched half-way up the +cliffs, in a bay (on the south of the island, mind you); and if you +enter the said hut and search on the shelf over the wooden berth, you +will find all that remains of Doctor Angus Sinclair; a relic that we in +our hurry left behind; a relic that will prove my yarn to be strictly +true, for the memento consists of the grand old doctor’s wonderful +eyebrows. + + * * * * * + +Strange to say, amid the scores of stories which I heard in all parts +of England, but few of them were connected with ghosts, visions, or +apparitions, and from this paucity of tales of the supernatural, I have +come to the conclusion that the majority of such stories are somewhat +mythical and usually mere hearsay, not even second-hand versions of +something that has really happened, but stories told by the fireside +in the first place, and afterwards handed from mouth to mouth with +numerous additions and alterations to suit places and individuals, +until at length they become so changed and distorted that their +inventors would not recognize the offspring of their own imagination, +should they at any subsequent period listen to their recital. + +Usually, after a story had been told, if I put the question, “Did you +see this?” the answer would be, “Oh, no; John Williams told me about +it, and I believe he heard it from Tom Smith.” A search for Tom Smith +would only result in the fact that he had heard it from Harry Jones, +etc., so that, strive as one might, the actual participator in the +gruesome adventure one wished to fathom could never be discovered. + +One very cold December day I happened to be passing through North +Somersetshire, and whilst in the vicinity of Minehead, made the +acquaintance of a farmer who was also a blacksmith. My stove had broken +down, and one or two odd jobs of ironwork required to be done, so I +procured the services of my new acquaintance, and when the various +little repairs had been finished, invited him to share my evening meal, +and join me in a pipe and hand at cards. + +He was nothing loath, and stayed. Of course my usual ghoulish thirst +for a story possessed me, and I endeavoured to obtain one from my +guest, but he affirmed that he could no more tell a story than I could +put him to sleep. Nothing memorable, he averred, had ever occurred +during his life, so how could he tell of what had never happened? + +Then we fell to speaking of farming and crops, horses and fields, and +among other items he mentioned that his best crops were obtained from +the field in which my van was then located, called the Haunted Field. + +“What,” thought I, “the haunted field! this must be seen into.” + +And see into it I did, for five minutes later my guest was in a +hypnotic trance, and from his lips I gathered the following very +Christmassy story. + + + + +X. + +THE PHANTOM RIDERS. + + +“Once upon a time” might fittingly be the initial words of this story, +for the terrible events of which it is a narration took place long, +long years ago; in fact, at the end of the seventeenth century. + +To be precise, the day on which the stirring narrative commences was +December 23, 1695, two hundred years ago this very Christmas, but +heaven protect us from such a dreadful Christmastide as that. + +The old Manor House at Minehead, in Somersetshire, no longer exists, +for the legends attached to it were of such a terrifying nature, that +no one dare rent it after the death of John Simmonds in 1696, so that +being uncared for, the old house lingered and decayed till it looked an +ideal picture of “desolation.” + +Haunted or no, there was something so uncanny in the appearance of +the old gables, fast tottering to ruin, that even in the crepuscular +light of early evening, persons would hurry by it with a shudder, +while later at night, many would go a long way round rather than +pass its weather-worn walls. The very air that blew past the ruin +seemed to gather a deathly fragrance, which was doubtless due to the +fast-rotting timbers of the floors and ceilings. + +Be that as it may, the evil repute of the old house grew so great, and +such dreadful stories were current concerning its sights and sounds, +that it was some years ago pulled down, the ground ploughed up, and +crops now flourish where, for generations, owls and bats held their +habitation undisturbed. + +Minehead Manor House was an Elizabethan red-brick structure, with tall +twisted chimneys, curved gables, and dormer windows peeping out from +the red clay tiles. Its grounds were extensive, its gardens prim, and +its fish-pond well stocked with carp, eel, and pike; for John Simmonds, +the owner, was fond of wandering about and improving his domain. His +gardens and fish-pond were his hobbies, and so fully occupied his +entire time that he was seldom seen in the village, where he was +greatly respected and admired for his kindness to the poor, while his +grand old English appearance had all the stateliness of a typical +country squire. + +He had an only daughter, Julia, an accomplished young lady as +accomplishments went in those days. She could sing and accompany +herself upon the spinet, could embroider beautifully, spin, and +generally comport herself as a young lady of twenty-three should, who +has a whole household on her shoulders. + +Of lady friends she had few, and her gentlemen friends were even still +more scarce. One young gentleman, Wynne Clarge (a distant relative), +who lived near, assumed, probably because of the non-existence of any +rival, that he should some day claim her for his wife, but he was very +apathetic in the matter. There was little real _love_ between them; +they were passable friends, and that was all; he looked upon Julia as +he did upon his horse--they were both nice in their way, and ministered +to his wants; for the rest he took everything as a matter of course, +simply because he had no rival. + +Things were running in their usual groove, when one day, early in +December, a gentleman was announced, who had called to pay his respects +to Mr. Simmonds. + +It was soon explained that he was Charles Benwell, the son of Mr. +Simmonds’ sister, who had for many years resided in Virginia. + +The cousins (for Charles was invited to stay at the Manor House for +a few weeks) fell in love with each other at first sight, and the +love was so sincere and intense, that ere three weeks had passed, Mr. +Simmonds was solicited for Julia’s hand. + +“Quick work, my boy,” quoth the genial old man. “Why, you have scarcely +had time to know each other yet. It puts me in mind of Julius Cæsar, +does this visit of yours, ‘He came, he saw, he conquered,’ and so have +you, apparently. Well, well, we shall see. But you must not expect a +fat dowry with her, for she can sing, ‘My face is my fortune,’ like the +maid in the song; but still she will not be penniless--no, no! I will +see that she has a suitable maintenance.” + +“As to that, Mr. Simmonds, you know I am over here for the purpose +of selling the property which my poor mother--your sister--has left +me. There are three estates of considerable size, amounting in the +aggregate to something like twelve hundred acres, besides several +houses, the documents appertaining to which I have left at the +solicitor’s at Dulverton. + +“Now, Mr. Simmonds, tell me, have you any objection to my looking upon +your daughter as my affianced bride?” + +Mr. Simmonds had no objection, but being a very cautious business man, +would like just a glance at the documents empowering Charles to sell +his late mother’s estates, simply as a matter of precaution, and to +ascertain if there were a flaw anywhere that might cause any delay in +the disposal of the property. + +“As to that,” rapturously vociferated Benwell, “the papers shall be in +your hands by this time to-morrow, so that you may search them through, +and then on glorious Christmas Eve give your sanction and blessing to +our engagement.” + +“Only fancy being engaged on Christmas Eve, Julia!” exclaimed Charles. +“How romantic! It is like the beginning of a story-book.” + + * * * * * + +From the day of Benwell’s arrival, Wynne Clarge had roamed about the +house and grounds, snarling at every one and everything. He had treated +Julia very rudely, and one day suddenly asked her-- + +“What is that fellow dangling about after you for? I will not have it, +Julia.” + +“But, Wynne,” his fair cousin replied, “it can surely be no business of +yours if he wishes to pay me attention; he is my cousin, and who knows +but he may make me a proposal before he leaves Minehead?” + +All this was said coquettishly, but looking up at Wynne she was +frightened at the look of hatred she perceived on his face. + +[Illustration: “His sword point, which was advanced towards the +spectators, was seen to be covered with blood.”--_p. 215._] + +“A proposal he _may_ make, but your husband he shall never be while +I wear this by my side,” and he touched the hilt of his rapier +significantly, as he strode off down the garden path. + +From that day he sought to quarrel with young Benwell, and his +relations with Mr. Simmonds became so strained, that the old gentleman +grew alarmed at his manner, and quietly but firmly forbade him the +house. + +“It is not your house or lands I want,” exclaimed the irate Wynne; “but +hark ye, old man, Julia shall be my wife and no other’s; willy-nilly +she _shall_ be mine. I have waited for years, and will not be baulked +by this sallow-faced American loon! Let him have his holiday, and go as +he came, and leave Julia in my hands, or--I will know the reason why!” + + * * * * * + +It was Christmas Eve, and Squire Simmonds had invited a few of the +neighbouring gentry to spend the evening sociably together under his +roof. Wynne had been invited with the rest, for at Christmastide the +squire could not be at variance with any man; but in the evening no +Wynne appeared. This gave rise to some little comments among the +guests, who good-naturedly twitted pretty Julia with having two strings +to her bow. + +She blushed and bore it, only looking anxiously now and again at the +face of the old clock at the end of the dining-room, for it was past +the hour when Charley had promised he would return; for he had gone +over to Dulverton in the morning to fetch the required documents. He +had promised to be back by six o’clock, and it was now eight, and both +Julia and her father began to exchange glances of alarm. + +At nine o’clock the guests also became anxious, and Mr. Simmonds tried +to persuade both himself and those present that all was right. + +“You see, it is fifteen miles from here to Dulverton,” said Mr. +Simmonds. “Possibly he did not start till six o’clock; then he had to +make a _détour_, so as to call at Stoke Pero and deliver a message +to one of Julia’s friends, and that would make his homeward journey +eighteen or twenty miles, and thirty-five miles there and back is a +longish ride. Besides, his horse, Old Maggie, is none too good for a +long trot over this hilly country. Fill up, my friends! Here’s to our +future squire, Charles Benwell!” + +He raised the goblet to his lips, but had not commenced to quaff, when +looking towards the door, he saw the absent Charley advancing toward +the table, looking extremely pale. All in the room rose in greeting, +but he turned from them, and unbuckling the clasp of his riding-cloak, +walked to an alcove, formerly an immense fire-place, but now used as a +closet for hanging outdoor coats, wraps, and accoutrements, a curtain +being drawn across it. + +To their surprise, every one present noticed, as he turned, that his +deep white collar (which was the fashion of those days) was saturated +with blood, and as they noted this, and had the words on their lips to +speak to him about it, he disappeared into the alcove by walking, as it +seemed, _right through the curtain_, and not drawing it aside in the +usual way! + +The assembled guests stood aghast. + +What could it mean? + +For a long time not a man stirred. But at length the spell was broken +by a young fellow named William Rayner advancing to the curtain sword +in hand: he snatched it suddenly aside. + +_The recess was empty!_ + +Charles Benwell had apparently vanished through the solid wall! + +The curtain fell from Rayner’s grasp as he stood immovable with +amazement. Then came another long pause; a consultation; a +replenishment of glasses; and finally the conclusion was arrived at +that it was the apparition of Julia’s lover they had seen. + +Fear now settled on them all, and as they sat, talking in hushed tones +and glancing nervously about, the curtain guarding the alcove was seen +to move. + +It bulged out slightly as if caught by a draught of air, and then again +its long, sombre folds trailed upon the floor and were still again. + +No one moved from the spot where he happened to be sitting or standing, +but all eyes were fixed in horror on the agitated tapestry. + +_Again it swayed._ + +This time the bold Will Rayner rose, and drawing his sword, was joined +by some of the others, also sword in hand. Rapidly they advanced across +the intervening space, and Rayner, plucking hold of the fabric with his +left hand, drew it aside with a quick jerk. + +Wonder of wonders, in place of the white-faced Benwell there stood his +scowling rival, Wynne Clarge. + +His right wrist was bared, and his sword point, which was advanced +towards the spectators, was seen to be covered with blood. + +As they looked with startled eyes, the blood slowly dripped to the +floor, drip--drip--drip! + +“How now, Master Clarge, think you to frighten us with such +tomfoolery?” exclaimed Will Rayner. “Get thee gone with thy mummery, or +my sword shall teach thee a lesson not to make fools of thy betters.” + +Then, rushing forward, he attempted to beat the sword out of Wynne’s +hand with his own, but to his amazement no clang of steel sounded as +their weapons met. + +“Here’s at thee, Wynne,” cried the now enraged man; and suiting the +action to the word, he made a deadly thrust at his opponent’s breast: +the blade pierced the figure without any resistance, and struck the +wall so violently that it was knocked out of his hand and rolled +clattering on the floor. + +At the attack and thrust Wynne looked straight at his assailant, smiled +sardonically, and--_slowly melted away_. + + * * * * * + +The guests stayed all night, sleeping where they best could, at least +those whose eyelids had the power to close; while the more nervous +scarce dare move from the room for fear of encountering one or other of +their ghostly visitors. + +It was useless trying to search the wild country between Minehead and +Dulverton while it was yet dark, but with the first grey light of a +dull morning--Christmas Day--a party of eight gentlemen rode off in +search of the missing Charles Benwell. + +Through Selworthy they silently rode, and turning to the left entered +the lovely woods of Korner. Hills rose to a great height on either side +of the valley up which they travelled; hills that seemed to touch--aye, +and really did touch--the low-lying dun-coloured snow-clouds. There +was a rough kind of path, which ran beside the brook--now swollen to a +mountain torrent--but at best it was a mere cattle track, and was now +fast becoming obliterated by the silently falling snow. + +The men rode on, scarcely speaking a word; the only sound that was +heard was the roar of the turbulent torrent as it tore through its +rocky bed on its way to the sea at Porlock. + +Presently they heard a horse neigh, and making at once towards the +sound, quickly found poor Old Maggie grazing at the foot of Dunkery +Beacon near the village of Stoke Pero. + +The snow was now falling so fast that not the sharpest eye could +perceive the summit of the Beacon, which towered sixteen hundred feet +above them. + +“Coup! coup! Maggie,” coaxingly cried Will Rayner, and the mare, +whinnying, trotted to him. She was still saddled, and they found, as +they feared to find, both upon the saddle and back, stains of blood. + +“Follow up, friends,” said Will, “as rapidly as possible, for if I +mistake not, our poor friend lies not far away, and if we make not the +best of our way, the snow may hide from us that which we seek.” + +They accordingly travelled on much quicker, and as they turned to cross +the rustic bridge, at the foot of the hill from which Stoke Pero looks +dreamily down, they found poor Benwell, lying on his face, dead, frozen +stark and stiff, and partly covered with snow as with a winding-sheet. + +They dismounted, and examined the murdered man, discovering to their +amazement and horror that he had been run through the base of the neck +from _behind_, by some cowardly hand. + +The body was laid over the back of a horse, and four of the gentlemen +returned with it to the Manor House, while Will and the other three +friends prosecuted their search for Wynne Clarge. + +This search, however, was in vain; no signs of him could be found, and +after wandering about in the snow for a long time they returned to +Minehead. + +It was indeed a sad Christmas Day for the good folks of the Manor +House, which instead of being a place of rejoicing was now a house of +the deepest sorrow. + +Poor Julia was inconsolable. + +No papers relating to the property were found on the body, and this +gave some clue to Wynne’s reason for waylaying the poor young fellow. + +Benwell was buried in the churchyard which lies high upon the hill, a +churchyard surrounded by walls that look out over the quiet town like +the ramparts of a fortress dominating a city. + +A week later, a great commotion was caused by the news being brought, +that Wynne’s body had been discovered in the trout pool, which lies +nearly hidden under the great hill near Stoke Pero. + +True it was, and for him too--murderer as well as murdered--a +resting-place was found in the quiet hill-top churchyard. + + * * * * * + +The missing papers could not be discovered, although the woods had been +searched in all directions, and as the unusually cold winter gave place +to the genial early spring, people began to look upon the tragedy as a +thing of the past, and talked no more of it. + +Poor Julia drooped and faded; but with the advent of the lovely warm +May days she revived, and, by and by, became her own sweet self again; +not quite so tuneful in her songs as of yore, but still her father’s +own little warbling bird, for he delighted in music and in singing, +particularly the songs his daughter sang to him of an evening. + +Summer came with its flowers, and autumn with its grain and fruit, and +then--then came cold dreary winter once more. + +Christmas approached, but this year, instead of the usual jovial party +at the Manor House, Julia and her father accepted an invitation to +spend a few days with the sporting rector of Stoke Pero. They arrived +at the Rectory on the 22nd of December (a Monday), and were invited to +stay over Christmas Day, which was on the Thursday. + +Julia was not at all in good spirits, and was evidently thinking of the +dreadful Christmas a year ago and her lost love. She brooded so that, +as Christmas Eve approached, she was positively unable to hide her +state of intense nervousness and melancholy, and at noon on the 24th +she felt herself so unwell that she implored her father to take her +home. + +Mr. Simmonds and the worthy parson took counsel together, and as Julia +appeared in a high state of nervous excitement bordering on fever, they +gave her a sleeping draught, placing her in the chimney corner in the +Rector’s great arm-chair. There she slept for three hours, but when she +awoke, again implored her father to take her home, as she felt so ill +and did not wish to give her kind hosts trouble. + +There was no resisting this second appeal, so after a little delay +in getting ready, they mounted their horses, and with a boy riding a +pony and carrying a lantern in advance, they set off on their journey +homeward. + +The snow lay thick on hill and tree, and they made but slow progress. +The lantern gave but little light; it bobbed about hither and thither +like an _ignis fatuus_, and finally the boy’s pony stumbled, and boy, +pony, and lantern were buried in a deep snow-drift. The boy scrambled +out quickly, but by the squire’s orders did not light his lantern +again. They crossed the bridge and picked their uncertain way along the +snow-covered path by the torrent’s brink. + +Suddenly the squire drew rein as a man rode quickly and silently past +them, over the snow, going in the same direction as themselves. + +“How like Old Maggie,” said the squire half aloud; “and if I did not +know to the contrary, I could have sworn that the rider was poor +Benwell!” + +The squire supported Julia with his left arm as she rode by his side, +cheering her as best he could. + +“Who was that, father?” she asked. “How strange he did not speak as he +passed us by.” + +“It was indeed, my dear,” he rejoined; “but probably he was a stranger, +and unaccustomed to our hearty West Country greetings. But see, he has +stopped and dismounted.” + +They beheld him in the moonlight standing by his horse’s side, but for +some reason the squire’s horse and his daughter’s both stopped of their +own accord, while the boy’s pony wheeled round and dashed back towards +Stoke. + +The strange horseman patted his steed’s neck, tightened the +saddle-girth, and was about to remount, when another man suddenly +bounded forward, with a drawn sword, and making a lunge at the +unfortunate traveller, thrust him, from behind, right through the neck. + +Then the murderer searched the dying man, taking a large bundle of +papers from the saddle-bags, and transferring them to his own pockets. + +Turning once more to his victim, who was not dead, but feebly +struggling in the snow to regain his feet, he again stabbed him, this +time clean through the heart. Then, with a malignant smile he turned +away, strode to his own horse, which was tethered to a tree hard by, +mounted, and in a trice galloped close past the spellbound onlookers. + +As he galloped silently by, the squire beheld, to his astonishment, the +features of Wynne Clarge! + +Thus was re-enacted, in phantom-vision, the murder of Charles Benwell, +as it took place twelve months before. + +Trembling in every limb Mr. Simmonds turned to his daughter. But Julia +was no more, _his arm encircled her lifeless clay_. + + * * * * * + +An old man and feeble was John Simmonds, when, two months after the +above events, he left his bed, slowly recovering from brain fever; but +although he was able occasionally to wander listlessly in his garden +in the warm days of the summer, he lingered only till the first days +of autumn tinged the foliage with gold and red, then drooped like the +flowers, and like the flowers he died. + +By his daughter’s side, upon that hillside in the west, the old man +sleeps, and to this day their tombs are pointed out; the one known as +“the Good Squire’s Tomb,” and the other is called “Julia’s Grave.” + + * * * * * + +When the next Christmas Eve came round, bold Will Rayner organized a +little party to watch the spot where the murder took place. They did +not keep their dread vigil in vain, for a little after darkness set +in they all saw the phantom horseman ride up, dismount to tighten +his saddle-girth, and pat his tired horse on the neck. They saw the +dastardly rush of his rival: they saw the deed enacted before their +eyes, as Mr. Simmonds and Julia had seen it in a marvellous manner, and +Will had difficulty in restraining his comrades from rushing upon the +murderous Wynne, although they knew him to be but the phantasm of a man. + +Their purpose, however, in watching was to _follow_ the ghost, and as +it mounted its shadowy horse they all gave chase. + +It was a wild sight to see these young men following the apparition, +who pursued his course through the wild woods apparently unconscious +that he was being followed. + +For three miles he rode, and then drew rein by a low cliff which +overhung the stream. He dismounted, took the bundle of papers from +under his cloak, and hid them beneath the stump of a tree, whose roots +flung themselves in fantastic shapes from the side of the cliff. Then +he mounted his horse again, with a smile of triumph on his ghastly +face, rode up the precipitous bank, and had nearly gained the brink, +when his horse missed its footing, rolled over backwards with its +rider, and both disappeared into the turbid water below. + +The ghostly horse quickly emerged and galloped away, but the shade of +Wynne Clarge, its rider, rose no more. + +A search was made in the low cliff for the missing documents relating +to the Benwell estate, and they were easily found; but having lain +in a damp cavity impregnated with lime for two years, they fell to +pieces as Rayner grasped them, and all that remained in his hand was an +undecipherable pulp. + + + + +CONCLUSION. + + +The Wise and Foolish Virgins among them carried ten lamps; and +strangely enough, that number coincides with the number of stories in +this volume. In five lamps no oil was poured, so that the lamps gave +forth no light, but the remaining lamps were well filled and shed forth +light on all around. Such may, I trust, be the case with my stories; +some of them may to my readers appear dull and uninteresting, but in +the remaining moiety I trust some gleams of pleasure may be found, +which, if not shedding forth the electric rays of a Poe, may yet give +forth enough intellectual light to cause the writer to be seen and +appreciated by the public as one who has not wholly failed to use his +pen to the pleasure of his indulgent readers. + +Probably my penchant for listening to stories wrung from unwilling +guests is highly reprehensible; but I am sorry to say that my hobby has +quite taken the bit between its teeth, and, instead of my riding and +controlling, it has mastered me. + +Some of my friends, probably my truest friends, prophesy, and I must +say with some grounds for their forecasts, that I stand a good chance +of seeing the interior of a gaol--my crime that of divulging the +secrets of persons whose brains I have used as a kind of mental sponge. +These good friends regard me as an ogre, prowling over the country on +wheels, and robbing those to whom I have given sanctuary and shown +hospitality in my humble caravan home. + +Probably they are right; but why in these days of dearth of original +and uncommon stories, should persons be allowed to carry such +interesting narratives about with them in a dog-in-the-manger style, +when by the exercise of a little ingenuity I am able to obtain their +hoarded narratives, and use them for the public good? Surely the end +justifies the means, from a literary point of view. + +The hypnotic seizure of tales untold is a simple art, and if any of +my readers (those having secret family skeletons preferred) will call +upon me, I will with pleasure show them how to hunt for a story. The +hunter and the quarry only are needed; noisy hounds to worry the poor +quarry are not required, the hunter does it all quietly and effectively +by himself, just as that watchful assassin, the spider, interviews the +interesting and toothsome fly. + + +THE END. + + + _Jarrod & Sons, Printers, Norwich, Yarmouth, and London._ + + + + +TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: + + + Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. + + Perceived typographical errors have been corrected. + + Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. + + Archaic or variant spelling has been retained. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76622 *** |